Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has blasted Justice Valentine Ashi of the Federal High Court, Wuse, Abuja, for granting an injunction restraining him from publishing his autobiography, “My Watch.”
Obasanjo said the presentation of the book in Lagos on Tuesday did not contravene any law.
He said, “I had given the book to my editors and to the publisher. As far as I am concerned, my job is done. I had written the book and printed before the court injunction.
“In a normal judiciary, the judge should be sanctioned and I hope something will be done. We are here legally and lawfully and we will continue to act lawfully and legally.”
Justice Ashi, had following an ex parte application by a member of the PDP in Ogun State, Buruji Kashamu, directed that the book should not be published pending the determination of the libel suit against Obasanjo. But babe is not ready to take all that, he even want the judge to be sanctioned.
The judge agreed with Kashamu’s lawyer, Alex Iziyon (SAN), that part of the content of the book related to the N20bn libel suit instituted against Obasanjo.
The content of the book was said to be related to a letter dated December 2, 2013, written by Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan, claiming that Kashamu was wanted for a drug-related crime in the United States.
But the judge also directed Kashamu to enter into a bond with the Chief Registrar of the court for damages he would pay should the order restraining Obasanjo from publishing the book turn out to be something the court ought not to have granted.
The judge adjourned hearing in the main suit till Wednesday.
Initially, there was a mild apprehension at the venue as the launch which was scheduled to start by 10am did not begin until past 11am. Some of the guests felt the event might be prevented from holding by security agents but that did not happen.
After a speech by the Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe, and the presentation of the book, Obasanjo fielded questions from the audience. Many of the audience members were eager to know whether or not the botched third term agenda at the twilight of his two-term presidency was his idea.
On the third term, Obasanjo said, “That (third term) was not my agenda or intention although I would not say I didn’t know about it. I didn’t mastermind third term. Those who were telling me to go on were the governors that were going to benefit from it.”
The three-volume autobiography captures Obasanjo’s early years and his military service; political and public affairs and current issues. The volume one of the 1, 572-page trilogy has 500 pages while the second volume has 672 pages. The third has 400 pages.
The dignitaries present at the event were:
Prof. Akin Mabogunje, Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe, Chief Jonathan Olapade, the Vice-Chancellor, Benson Idahosa University, Prof. Ernest Izevbigie; and a former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Peter Okebukola.
Vice-Admiral Michael Adelanwa (retd.), Dr. Segun Oyefeso, Olubara of Ibara, Oba Olufemi Omolade; Navy Capt. Femi Pearse, Registrar, Bells University of Technology, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Gbadebo, were also in attendance.
No comments:
Post a Comment