Obasanjo told journalists in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Sunday that Buhari was putting into practice, the lessons he allegedly learned from late General Sani Abacha.
“Today, another Abacha Era is here. The security institutions are being misused to fight all critics and opponents of Buhari and to derail our fledgling democracy.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Police and Code of Conduct Tribunal are also being equally misused to deal with those Buhari sees as enemies for criticising him or as those who may not do his bidding in manipulating election results,” he said.
According to Obasanjo, criticism, choice and being different are inherent trademarks of democracy and if democracy is derailed or aborted, anarchy and authoritarianism will automatically follow.
“It is clear from all indications that Buhari is putting into practice the lessons he learned from Abacha,” he said.
In an open letter entitled “Point for Concern and Action”, Obasanjo, who is largely believed to speak the minds of the elites and the silent majority in the country, noted that Buhari does not have the capacity to offer Nigeria what it really deserves and asked Nigerians to appreciate what Buhari has been able to deliver so far.
“While Nigeria must appreciate Buhari for the little he has done and allow him to depart for home in peace if he allows peaceful and credible elections, we must also tell ourselves that Nigeria deserves better at this point in time than what Buhari is capable of offering.
“History will note that he has been here; Nigeria now needs a man with better physical and mental soundness with an active mind and intellect,” Obasanjo said.
He accused Buhari of planning to rig the elections, attacked the National Assembly and intimidated the Judiciary to “cow them to submission”.
“From available intelligence, we have heard of how Buhari and his party are going about his own self-succession project. They have started recruiting collation officers who are already awarding results based on their projects to actualise the perpetuation agenda in which the people will not matter and the votes will not count. It is the sole reason he has blatantly refused to sign the revised Electoral Reform Bill into law.
“His henchmen are working round the clock in cahoots with security and election officials to perfect their plan by computing results right from the ward to local government, state and national levels to allot him what will look like a landslide victory irrespective of the true situation for a candidate who might have carried out by proxy presidential debate and campaigns,” he said.
Obasanjo called on Nigerians to use the elections to make a statement by electing only leaders that can put the country on the path of progress.