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Obasanjo to Quit Politics
By Imam Imam

19 May 2011
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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo


One of Nigeria's foremost nationalists – as well as one of its most divisive personalities – former President Olusegun Obasanjo has indicated interest to finally retire from active politics.

He told Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains from Lagos State who visited him at his Ota home last weekend that he had had “enough” and would leave the political scene for the younger generation.

Should Obasanjo go ahead with the retirement plan, he is expected to give up his position as the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP which he has held since the end of his tenure as President in 2007.

Obasanjo, who last weekend met with a delegation led by elder statesman Rafiu Jafojo, Mr. William Oganga, and Princess Gloria Adebajo-Frazier, said the only developoment delaying his retirement is the need to have a new Deputy National Chairman of the PDP whose position has been zoned to the South-west.

"Baba made it clear that as soon as a new Deputy National Chairman of the party emerges from the South-west, he will hand over party affairs to the person and concentrate on his ambassadorial assignments on the African continent.

"He also said his priority now is to ensure that someone from Ogun, Ondo or Ekiti emerges to fill the position. He told the delegation that all the past leaders who have held the position are from Oyo, Osun and Lagos States, so to ensure fairness, he wants someone from one of the states that has not produced the Deputy National Chairman to do so", a source at the meeting told THISDAY.

The role Obasanjo played in the re-zoning of the position of speaker of the House of Representatives to the South-west as well as the endorsement of Hon. Ajibola Muraina for the job is believed to be fuelling rebellion within the PDP as North-west lawmakers have vowed to truncate zoning.

Besides, it is believed that Obasanjo deliberately picked the terminally ill Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as his successor on 2007 so that power could return to the South in a short span.

Of the seven former Nigerian leaders alive, only Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari have remained in active politics, with both men serving as BoT chairmen of their respective parties.

Buhari contested last month's presidential election on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) which he lost to PDP's Goodluck Jonathan.

Obasanjo's continued activities in the political scene have divided opinion in the country, with some urging him to pick up a role of an elder statesman in the category of former leaders such as Shehu Shagari and Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Considered one of the luckiest Nigerians around, Obasanjo rose to national prominence in 1970 when he accepted the instruments of surrender from the Biafran army which attempted to divide the country.

He served as a federal commissioner of works (now minister) in the Yakubu Gowon regime and rose to the position of Head of State following the assassination of General Murtala Ramat Muhammed in 1976.

He entered the history books when he handed over power to a democratically elected government in October 1979.

In 1999, following his release from prison by General Abdulsalami from incarceration by the Sani Abacha regime over his alleged involvement in a coup, he was elected the President under the PDP where he served for two terms.

Despite introducing far-reaching reforms while in office, he is best remembered for his failed attempt to change the constitution and elongate his tenure for a third term.

The effort was defeated in the Senate.

What is he still waiting for?

I don't expect him to cue for pension, so how many oil well is he getting?

Baba has tried, he deserves to retire with the results of the last election, since our precious Iyabo sef no fit win,it shows its time to say goodbye

AT last baba will stop laughing

it is time for you to automatically time out.

baba oniyabo, agba ni tara 0o0o0o0

rhythyson:

AT last baba will stop laughing

Baba go still dey laf  for underground

Very good decision!

The long awaited event. The time of his relevance on Nigeria Political landscape has expired long before now. Let all other proponent of do-or-die politics learn from him and toll that path. I reserve my other comments,

Quitting when the OVATION (apologies to Dele bn Momodu) was lowest

Who cares? *hiss* tot he'd die a politician! Agbaya oshi!!!!!

D Rate Diz Ladies Show Dere BREAST In Nigeria Movie Industry Posters Is Becoming Alarming, Some Bodi Should Plz Tell Dem 2 Show a Little Bit Of Restraint Plz.

^^^^

collins Jn:

D Rate Diz Ladies Show Dere bosom In Nigeria Movie Industry Posters Is Becoming Alarming, Some Bodi Should Plz Tell Dem 2 Show a Little Bit Of Restraint Plz.

Do you need a guide to show you the way around NL?
Please go to the right section.

, This is "LONG" over due joo

THE LEGENDARY BABA FELA TALK AM BEFORE! FROM PRISON TO PRESIDENTIAL SEAT, IT CAN ONLY HAPPEN IN NIGERIA!!! YOU WAN BEGIN DECEIVE US AGAIN? WE KNOW YOU STILL RUN, THE GREATEST SCAM ARTIST OF ALL TIME OBJ.

The yorubas have already stated through their votes that they don't need you anymore. So Why is he still tryin to zone the position of the d.c to the south west?

Maybe because he cannot control GEJ as he wanted. He is a good man anyway, I like his personality. He is the BEST in politics playing.

Baba I dey laugh o

@Topic,

Best news of the year so far . . . . . . .

After Tinubu and co. don open his yarnsh, Baba no dey laugh

Good for him. He's really had enough of it.

how i wish Baba has asses to NL some of you will be at Ota prison picking eggs
anyway baba no have una time because im exam for open university dey come up soon so baba is burning candles oooooo

After Tinubu don show am who is in charge of Southwest, OBJ is a masquerade who has danced for too long on the streets and needs to quit before small sidren (children) begin pour san san (sand) for him body.

He will not quit politics, he wants to continue as Ambassador.
Meanwhile is ambassadorial appointment not political?

OBJ is a prove case of power-addiction,it can't be cured.he will attempt another comeback before this century is over.he will outlive all of us.

Na my turn 2 laff.

I dey laugh
obviously one of his numerous jokes which aint funny to humans,so i guess he should go tell his chickens.
He also forgot to add he'll retire from influencing policies,and political offices.please,he did not retire but waiting for the pdp election so he could impose his candidate as the dep natl chairman.
Obj is going no where cuz he just got a new job,imposition of his candidates

rhythyson:

AT last baba will stop laughing

Is he still laughing?? I honestly thought he stopped when the broom revolution swept his backyard (Iyabo).

nice one

A good actor quits when the ovation is loudest. If only Baba had quit after first term in 2003! Characters like Fayose will never have the courage to abuse him publicly. Anyway, time to retire home and rest so that people like Bode George can express themselves again

Good riddance to bad rubbish.No one is deceived, the Egba grand jester is throwing in the towel because his political relevance has been rubbished beyond redemption.His relevance and qualification to hold any exalted office in PDP is questionable,considering his dismal showing in His Polling booth,Ward,Zone,LGA and State at the last elections. He is taking this long overdue decision to safe his face and give the false impression that he was not forced out of politics.

The Obasanjo that I know is a Leader taking a stroll, but deludes himself  that he has followers at home and abroad.He should however thank God that he can still continue to lay false claim to being an Elder Stateman in African and world politics. Despite quitting politics the evil and discord he has sown within and outside Western Nigeria will continue to haunt him.

Hmmm! Best time for him to retire. He no longer has a say esp in SW Politics. TINUBU don finish am. All the same He is an ICON of a great politician. He should be a Political book for political science student to read if they must play real politics!!!!!  BABA ni yen

Na lie!! Baba no fit retired for now.
He know that he will go back to prison if the quits,
These young politicians in government today wiill probe him and make sure he goes back to agodi prison.
Watch and see!