Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of lying about his long-denied ambition to secure a third term in office.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, on Wednesday, the former Abia State governor and current Senator representing Abia North said Obasanjo did, in fact, attempt to extend his stay in power beyond the constitutional two terms.
Kalu’s remarks came in response to Obasanjo’s recent comments at the 2025 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Annual Democracy Dialogue, held in Accra, Ghana. During the event, the former President reiterated that he never sought a third term, dismissing the long-standing rumours as unfounded.
But Kalu insisted otherwise.
“What Obasanjo said in Ghana — that he never wanted a third term — was a lie,” Kalu said.
“He called me to the Villa and told me he wanted a third term, and I told him no. That’s why he started having issues with me.”
The senator claimed he was one of those who stood firmly against the alleged third term plot and that it strained his relationship with the former President.
“We stopped him with the help of former US President [George W.] Bush,” Kalu added.
Obasanjo governed Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, and the third term controversy has followed his legacy for nearly two decades. In 2006, a constitutional amendment bill allegedly aimed at allowing him a third term was overwhelmingly rejected by the National Assembly — a move widely believed to have ended the agenda.
Obasanjo has consistently denied any involvement in the push for a constitutional amendment to extend his tenure. However, several political figures, including former lawmakers, have maintained that the attempt was real and orchestrated from the top.
With Kalu’s fresh accusation, the debate around Obasanjo’s alleged third term ambition has once again resurfaced — this time, reigniting political tensions as Nigeria approaches another election cycle.
