Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday said ''today is better than yesterday" as he reflected on 48 years of the country's independence. A statement from Government House Abeokuta today said Obasanjo made the statement at Ota, in Ogun, when members of the state's executive council, led by Gov. Gbenga Daniel, visited him. The statement signed by Kehinde Onasanya, Press Officer to the Governor, quoted Obasanjo as telling Nigerians ''to be grateful to God for the journey we have made so far. "I am an incurable optimist about Nigeria and I always see the good side. ''There are many countries that went through a civil war and could no longer come together but we went through it and we are stronger than ever,'' he said.
Obasanjo, who commended Daniel for always giving him "due respect and honour" however, cautioned the media against spreading the rumour of an imaginary rift between them. "If one should go by what is written in the newspapers, one will think otherwise. I can never be part of whatever machinery to derail the government of Daniel. ''It is annoying and highly embarrassing to spread such rumour. "They said I wanted Iyabo to be the Governor. What kind of annoying rumour is this? Daniel and I agreed that the next governor of the state should emerge based on equity and fairness. ``If it is so, how can Iyabo now step in. That is wicked rumour," Obasanjo said.
"Whoever is not happy with the development going on in the state should go to blazes. They are spreading wicked rumour. He urged Daniel to remain focused and committed to good governance, advising him "to be friendly even with your enemies by using goodness to conquer evil.”I will not be grateful to God if I indulge in destroying others, if it was possible for Abacha, I will not be alive today because he wished me dead. ``Why should I then stand in the way of progress of anyone with all that God has done for me?'' the former president asked.
He said the media should always verify their facts before publication adding that "they should write what will uplift your nation and not what will pull it down. He described as unfounded, newspaper reports that he travelled to Libya to celebrate Eid-El-Fitri to avoid meeting President Umar Yar'adua. According to him, "such is a wicked rumour, because I even took permission from Mr. President and we are in touch.
"Our media should stop destroying our nation. I was in Libya and one newspaper reported that I was holding a secret meeting at my farm." Gov. Daniel had earlier commended Obasanjo for his role on the political evolution of the country. The governor led the delegation to the former president's home to felicitate with him on the nation's 48th independence anniversary.
