The war of words between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his estranged political godson, incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, worsened over the weekend, with Obasanjo insisting that he stands by the allegations he made against Jonathan in his controversial open letter of December 2, 2013.

Jonathan had rejected Obasanjo’s weighty allegations in his reply dated December 20 but Obasanjo the next day told a select group of visiting All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders that he stood by the issues he raised in his letter.

“He said he wrote the letter in the larger interest of the survival of Nigeria and its democracy, contrary to the notion that he was self-seeking,” according to a report this morning in The Nation.

Obasanjo’s letter contained many allegations, including that Jonathan was training snipers. “The former President, according to sources, said he was ready to prove the allegations,” The Nation reported.

It sad that Obasanjo reportedly opened up to some top leaders of the APC at a closed-door session in Abeokuta.

“It was gathered that although the ex-President had warmly received all members of the entourage, he bared his mind to select few on the state of the nation,” the paper said.

It quoted an anonymous source as saying: “After the initial obeisance, banters, and the purpose of the APC mission, the ex-President had audience with a group of six or seven leaders.

“He told them that he believed in what he wrote and he had no regrets for doing so. He said he was not ‘self-seeking’ in writing President Jonathan.

“The ex-President also told the team that ‘if it is necessary, I will provide evidence on some of the issues. I have my facts.’ ”

The Nation quoted another unnamed source as saying that Obasanjo’s body language was a “bit stronger on his point on snipers but he did not go into details.”

The source quoted Obasanjo as saying: “I did not write the letter to curry favour or seek undue attention but at my age, I should talk when things are going wrong. I am not on a self-seeking mission.”

Jonathan in his reply released last night had accused Obasanjo of writing the open letter with an ulterior motive, saying: “Let me state that you have done me grave injustice with your public letter in which you wrongfully accused me of deceit, deception, dishonesty, incompetence, clannishness, divisiveness and insincerity, amongst other ills.”

•Photo shows ex-President Obasanjo.

Update news