Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has thanked former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retired) for the role he played in his release from prison.
Obasanjo was one of those imprisoned by the regime of the late military dictator, General Sani Abacha over an alleged coup plot to overthrow Abacha.
The former President who spoke in Plateau State at the weekend said he didn’t know Gowon pleaded with Abacha not to execute him.
“He made a revelation and I have to thank you specifically for that. When I came out of prison, I had the opportunity to thank friends, inside and outside the country who contributed to appeal and pray for my release from prison,” Obasanjo said.
“And I went round the world thanking those that have been appealing and praying for my release from prison. But I did not know that you wrote a personal letter for my release until you said it yesterday; I thank you for that.”
Earlier, Gowon said he pleaded with Abacha to spare Obasanjo.
In his remarks on his efforts to stop Obasanjo’s execution, Gowon explained that he wrote a letter to Abacha, telling him that God made him a leader to do good, not evil, and therefore sought clemency for Obasanjo.
According to him, he sent the letter to Abacha through his (Gowon) wife to deliver to Abacha in Abuja in the night, adding that things took a different turn after that letter.
He then expressed his joy that Obasanjo did not only leave prison after spending three years in prison before his release following the death of Abacha in June 1998, but went on to become the nation’s president in 1999.