Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to late president of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari has revealed why his principal fell out with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Gatekeepers News reports that Garba Shehu made the disclosure in his book titled “According to the President; Lessons from a Presidential spokesman’s experience.”
Shehu claimed Obasanjo wanted Buhari to award the Mambilla power contract to his own preferred contractor, a decision he claimed President Buhari ignored saying due process should be followed.
In chapter 6; The Muhammadu Buhari persona, he wrote, “There are many around Buhari who hold that the spectacular falling out between him and his superior in the military whom he cherished and much respected, President Olusegun Obasanjo was on account of the demand, reportedly put to him by Obasanjo, that the contract for the Mambilla Power Project be given to a contractor he preferred.
“On this, Buhari politely told the former President to allow him handle this in his own way, following the due process that was In place.
“By the remoteness of his personal disposition, his strong will, aversion to graft, strong Islamic principles, contentment and simple lifestyle, Buhari effectively stayed above corruption and controlled it around himself.”
The Mambilla power project is located in Mambilla, Taraba State, Northeast Nigeria.
The hydro-electric project when completed, is expected to add about 4.7 billion kWh of electricity a year to the national grid making it the biggest power project in the country.
However, over 40 years later, the project remains stalled.
