Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, played smart today when he was asked to clear the air on the candidate he will support in the March 28 presidential elections.

At the launch of his new book ‘My Watch’ in the United Kingdom, Obasanjo replied thus when asked to confirm if he had indeed endorsed the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), as earlier reported:

“Well, whatever you get in the paper and in the press, please yourself,” he said to guests at the event, who wanted to confirm the reported endorsement.

He added: “What I said, I maintain that I will say it again and I will do it. When the time comes for me to vote, I will consider the track record of all the candidates that are contesting and I will assess and based on my own assessment for who I believe have the best track record to perform the job of the Nigerian President, then he will have my vote. If anybody should know what the job of the Nigerian President requires, I should know.”

Obasanjo, who is also a retired Army General, spoke further, saying: “Nigeria has a population of 180 million and you wouldn’t have anybody other than one person or two persons that can run the affairs of Nigeria? What the hell are we talking about?

“For me, there are millions who can run the affairs of Nigeria who are not even coming out. So why should you die on behalf of one who is probably performing as a mediocre? With all due respect.

“Nigeria, if you love it, you would look for the best for Nigeria and I don’t believe that at this point in time we have the best for Nigeria.”

•Adapted from a Channels TV report. Photo shows Obasanjo.