How Obasanjo Plotted Anenih’s Removal From Abroad

How Obasanjo plotted Anenih’s removal from abroad    30/6/2007
     
 
Segun Otokiti



FORTY-eight hours before he arrived the country on Tuesday, former President Olusegun Obasanjo plotted the removal of Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih from Jamaica where he spent his vacation.

In fact, the need to remove his former friend now turned sworn enemy expedited his return to the country during the week, The Nation learnt.

It was gathered before party Secretary Chief Ojo Maduekwe sent circular for the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which held on Monday, he contacted Obasanjo who was holidaying in the reggae beat country .

Obasanjo was reported to have asked for the agenda which included among others, the formation of a Reconciliation Committee to be headed by former Vice President Alex Ekwueme and the scheduled meeting of the party with members of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Action Congress (AC).

Satisfied, he was said to have asked for what the meeting would do on the BOT chairmanship.

During the December 16, 2006 national convention of the nine-year old party, its constitution was amended making Obasanjo life leader and paving the way for him to become the next BOT chairman. A source said Maduekwe, who is being tipped as the next national chairman of the self-acclaimed biggest party in Africa, was silent for minutes, following Obasanjo’s enquiries .‘’Don’t worry. I will call Yar’Adua,’’ Obasanjo was reported to have said. When he called President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and asked the same question, the president was reported to have told his predecessor that he (Obasanjo) should wait till he comes back to the country before taking over from Anenih.

But Obasanjo added a condition: the NEC meeting should be silent on the BOT chairmanship.

The source said Obasanjo’s plan was to return to the country yesterday or today, rest for one or two days before heading for Abuja for the BOT meeting.

‘’Obasanjo was shocked when the NEC meeting announced that Anenih should continue as BOT Chairman. In fact, he was furious. He knew Anenih must have manipulated the NEC members and party leadership to include that section in the communiqué."

He immediately called President Yar’Adua and asked him for what led to such announcement and the president told him that his (Obasanjo’s) physical presence would be needed urgently to effect the desired change.

The source said Obasanjo immediately placed calls to Maduekwe, Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party, Chief Bode George, Senate President David Mark and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs Olubunmi Etteh; and told them his plans: "I’m coming back to take over fully." He was also reported to have called billionaire tycoon Alhaji Aliko Dangote to make one of his private jets available immediately for his return to the country.

This was done and he returned on Tuesday morning.

On arrival, he called Yar’Adua and his allies in the party telling them that BOT meeting would hold the next day.

Anenih, who was aware of Obasanjo’s arrival, also called the BOT meeting in his Abuja house for Tuesday night.

On Wednesday, Obasanjo flew to Abuja with some of his aides and headed straight to the Aso Rock Presidential Villa which he left less than a month ago.

Yar’Adua already had some scheduled meetings but Obasanjo was reported to have told him to cancel them for the BOT meeting.

When Anenih, who was in Benin, the Edo State capital, learnt of Obasanjo’s move, it was too late.

He made some frantic calls, to no avail. Within hours, Anenih was removed, replaced by Obasanjo who also made one of his loyalists and former Nasarawa State Governor Adamu Abdullahi, the Board Secretary.

According to Maduekwe, Obasanjo has effectively taken over the ruling party.

The crisis between Obasanjo and Anenih started two days after Obasanjo’s exit from Aso Rock.

A few days to his exit, the party leadership met and endorsed Mark and Mrs Etteh as the Senate President and Speaker.

But a few days to the inauguration of the sixth National Assembly on June 5, Anenih moved against Mark, seen as Obasanjo’s choice.

This prompted Obasanjo to call and warn him. But Anenih replied immediately saying as an old man, Obasanjo should not talk to him like that again.

Both are septuagenarians.

Since then, the crisis between the duo has deepened.
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