Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon has narrated how the letter he wrote and sent to late Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha saved former President Olusegun Obasanjo from being executed by Abacha.
It is recalled Obasanjo was arrested by Abacha on the allegation he was planning a coup plot in 1995 against Abacha’s government.
Obasanjo was convicted and kept in prison for three years awaiting execution before Abacha died during the period paving way for Obasanjo’s freedom and later becoming president in 1999.
While speaking on the role he and his wife played in ensuring Obasanjo was not killed during the period of his incarceration, Gowon,was the Special Guest of Honour at the maiden edition of the Interdenominational Unity Christmas Carol and Praise Festival organised by the Plateau Government said he wrote a letter and gave to his wife to deliver to Abacha pleading with him not to executive Obasanjo then. Obasanjo was the Guest of Honour at the event
“I wrote a letter to Abacha, I pleaded with him that God made him a leader to do good and not evil.I sent my wife with the letter in the middle of the night to Abacha in Abuja; I pleaded with him that such a thing should not happen.
“I’m glad that soon after that, things changed, and not only that Obasanjo left prison, he became our president in 1999.
“This is something that only prayers and sincerity can do; I’m happy that today myself and Obasanjo are here to celebrate the unity of Plateau,” he said.