When I Was Leaving As The Military Head Of State, I Didn’t Join The Army To Retire At Age Of 42–OBJ

According to a report by Daily Post on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, Orji Uzor Kalu, former Governor of Abia State, has revealed how former President Olusegun Obasanjo allegedly reneged on an agreement to serve only one term as Nigeria’s president after assuming office in 1999.

Kalu explained that the arrangement was reached before Obasanjo emerged as the country’s democratically elected president, adding that the agreement was intended to ensure a smooth transfer of political power between different regions of the country.

The former governor disclosed that the understanding involved him, former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, and Obasanjo.

According to Kalu, they had agreed that Obasanjo would serve for only four years, between 1999 and 2003, before relinquishing power to another Nigerian from the northern region.

He specifically identified Babangida as the person expected to succeed Obasanjo under the proposed political arrangement.

Kalu explained that the agreement was designed to promote political balance and sustain the principle of power rotation between the North and South.

He maintained that Obasanjo received their support based on the understanding that he would respect the arrangement and allow another individual from the North to take over after completing his first four-year tenure.

However, the former governor alleged that the former president eventually failed to honour the agreement.

Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Kalu also discussed his former relationship with Obasanjo, explaining how their once cordial association gradually deteriorated.

He attributed the breakdown of their relationship to disagreements over commitments they had allegedly discussed before and during Obasanjo’s presidency.

Kalu suggested that the failure to fulfil those commitments contributed significantly to the disagreement between them.

Meanwhile, Obasanjo has separately spoken about his experience under the late former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, alleging that the military ruler wanted him eliminated because he stood in the way of his ambitions.

The former president made the revelation in a video published by the BBC, where he recounted the circumstances surrounding his arrest during Abacha’s administration and discussed some experiences from his military career.

Obasanjo also reflected on his decision to leave the Nigerian Army after rising to the rank of a four-star general and eventually becoming military Head of State.

He explained that his retirement came earlier than he had initially anticipated, considering his age and achievements within the military institution.

He further disclosed that after leaving the military, he ventured into agriculture and concentrated on farming.

Recounting his military retirement and the circumstances surrounding his departure from government, Obasanjo stated: “When I was leaving the government as the military Head of State I was leaving too early, I didn’t join the army to retire at the age of 42.

“At the age of 42 I have become a four-star general, there was nothing I could do in the army, I had become the military Head of State, the highest political office.

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