Obasanjo says some presidential aspirants should be in jail

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is of the opinion that some of the presidential aspirants who have declared an interest in the 2023 elections should be in jail if anti-corruption agencies in the country had done their jobs more efficiently.

He made the comment during an international symposium to mark his 85th birthday in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, Punch Newspaper reports.

“I cast a cursory look at some of the people running around and those for whom people are running around. If EFCC and ICPC will have done their jobs properly and been supported adequately by the judiciary, most of them would be in jail. Any person who has no integrity in small things cannot have integrity in big things,” he said.

The 85-year-old further noted that he hasn't endorsed any aspirants despite the hopefuls visiting him to seek his support.

He said: "I’m not sponsoring any southern candidate. As the quadrennial madness builds a head of steam and the runners and riders crisscross the nation in the quest for nomination as the party flag bearer to the highest office in the land, I read and hear about endorsement and statements in support of candidates that I frankly have not made and forming next political parties that I can never get involved in.

"I was told that social media credited to me the names of three people from the south that I am sponsoring for the presidency in 2023."

Going further, he said some 2023 presidential aspirants should be in jail had the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission done their jobs effectively.