FORMER president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has predicted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari will win Nigeria's presidential elections due to take place on March 28.

Over recent months, Chief Obasanjo and incumbent president Dr Goodluck Jonathan have been involved in a public spat, having numerous, highly publicised disagreements. Chief Obasanjo has accused President Jonathan of not performing while in office, saying he would not give the government a pass mark.

 Their disagreement has been further fuelled by the government's recent decision to postpone the elections by six weeks, prompting suggestions that it intends to avoid them. However, Chief Obasanjo has dismissed fears that the polls will be annulled as happened in 1993, under the Babangida administration, when the election of Moshood Kashimawo Abiola was scrapped by the military junta.

 Speaking in Abeokuta during a reception with a civil rights group called Concerned Citizens of Nigeria, Chief Obasanjo said there will never be a repeat of what happened in 1993. He added that he has confidence in the General Buhari because he was a trained military officer.

Chief Obasanjo said: “You need not to worry about anything. There can never be any June 12 annulment again as Buhari is not Abiola, he is a trained and highly intelligent soldier.

“Oyegun is not Anenih, Osinbajo is not Kingibe. Jega is not Nwosu, Jonathan is not IBB and this time around, Obasanjo will not support any interim government. Obasanjo will rather support free, fair and credible elections.”

Over recent weeks the disagreement between President Jonathan and Chief Obasanjo led to the former president tearing up his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) membership card. Although presidency officials and PDP leaders have been pouring scorn on Chief Obasanjo ever since, President Jonathan said he will remain above the fray because senior citizens must always remember the need to keep Nigeria united even when they have cause to disagree politically.

 According to President Jonathan he does not want to join issues with Chief Obasanjo, who he still regards as his father, as he does not think it is necessary. He added that Chief Obasanjo has led the country more than anybody as he served as a civilian president for eight years and then almost four years as a military ruler, so should be respected.