NIGERIA: Safiya: Obasanjo Hails Judgment

President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, lauded the verdict of the Sharia Appeal Court in Sokoto which last Monday upturned the death sentence passed on Mrs. Sefiya Tungar-Tudu by a lower sharia court for committing adultery last October.

Sounding relieved and elated, President Obasanjo noted that Nigeria and Nigerians would have been thoroughly embarrassed if the judgment was otherwise.

 He expressed satisfaction with the issue when some delegations of the PDP North Central Zone led by former PDP national Chairman, Chief Solomon Lar, paid him (Obasanjo) a solidarity visit in the Presidential villa.

 Obasanjo noted: "I thank God and all those who worked hard to save the life of Safiya because it would have been in a different matter, if she had been killed."

 He further explained that the eye and ear of the international communityhad been on Nigeria since the Safiya case broke out; stressing that in the last 1 month, all the world leaders he had met and discussed with had expressed concern over Safiya's fate.

 "Wherever I went, in the world, I had no peace. In my last visit to Mexico, the 1st person who wanted to see me was the President of Spain. I went to him, with my camera and everybody. And he said this matter of Safiya.

 The 2nd man was the prime Minister of Norway. All he wanted to talk about was Safiya. Next was the President of the European Union and all he wanted to talk about was Safiya."

 He enjoined Nigerians to uphold the virtues of integrity and righteousness as they were the only assurance for emerging great.

 President Obasanjo further noted that "whatever we do, what will sustain Nigeria is production. Whatever we do what will sustain Nigeria is righteousness."