The Presidency on Wednesday challenged former President Olusegun Obasanjo to explain his absence from the maiden Democracy Day on June 12.
The challenge was contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu.
“Chief Olusegun Obasanjo owes an answer to Nigerians on his absence from the 2019 Presidential inauguration and Democracy Day celebration because the claim that he was not invited or he did not receive an invitation cannot be sustained.
“Since the claim was first made, elements in the polity that have deliberately and consistently been trying to lead the country towards polarisation have cashed in on it, throwing all manner of rubbish at the Buhari Presidency.
“The fact remains that the Secretary to the Government, Boss Mustapha, wrote on May 16, 2019 to: ‘His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, Former President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Agbe L’Oba House, Quarry Road, Ibara, P.O.Box 2286, Abeokuta, Ogun State.’
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“The invitation was sent to Chief Obasanjo’s known forwarding address, detailing out all the major events and the invitation cards were delivered by a reputable courier company as confirmed.
“The receipt of the letter and invitation cards as delivered by the courier company was confirmed by Mr Taiwo Ojo, the long-standing Personal Secretary to the former President.
“If Chief Obasanjo did not see or receive the letter and invitation cards, then the former President needs to find out what is happening with his own secretariat.
“The government office did its job diligently and should not be blemished for no reason,” the statement read.
Recall that Obasanjo and other former presidents and heads of states were conspicuously absent from the June 12 Democracy Day celebration.
