The Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) yesterday accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of killing the principle of internal democracy in the country.

The Assembly in a statement signed by its Speaker, Mohammed Salihu, reiterated its rejection of Obasanjo’s Coalition for New Nigeria (CNM), describing it as a selfish agenda created to cause disunity among Nigerians.

“It is obvious that OBJ has made himself the Nigerian landlord; it is either you dance to his tune or be chased out but the beauty of Democracy is that power lies with the people and we are the people. We will decide who govern us.

“In 1999 when the then President Obasanjo was elected on a national consensus on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), there were a lot of expectations from Nigerians, haven come out of a dictatorship from the hands of the military.

“People were anxious to be part of a new form of governance only for such expectations to be cut short with yet another form of dictatorial leadership under Obasanjo.

“Former President Obasanjo assumed a form of a god; only his wishes were sacred. Those who opposed to his antics were sacked or silenced; internally party democracy became endangered; lawlessness became lawful if blessed by the powerful OBJ. Since that time till date, internal democracy in Nigeria has not regained consciousness,” the group said.