₦airaland Forum

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has rebuffed
repeated pleas from concerned member of the
Peoples Democratic Party to help revive the party
following its defeat in the March 28 presidential
election.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who flew the PDP
flag in the March 28 election, lost to his All
Progressives Congress challenger, Muhammadu
Buhari, a former military head of state.
The party, which has ruled Nigeria since the return
of democracy 16 years ago, also lost its majority
status in the National Assembly just as it won a
fewer number of states unlike in the past election.
With the defeat, the ruling party will now take on
the opposition role as from May 29 when Mr.
Jonathan hands over power to Mr. Buhari.


Since the defeat, the party’s senior members have
been bickering with one another with some
demanding the exit of its National Chairman,
Adamu Mu’azu and other officers, who are
accused of working against the party during the
election.


Concerned about the future of the party, some of
its leaders have been reaching out to Mr. Obasanjo
to return to the party and help build it ahead of
future elections.
The former president had in February directed a
fellow PDP member and ward leader to openly tear
his party membership card at a forum in Abeokuta,
the Ogun State capital.


PREMIUM TIMES gathered that among those
persuading him to return to lead the party were
serving governors and federal lawmakers who
believed the party should play viable opposition in
the next dispensation.
Mr. Obasanjo’s close allies said the anxious party
men have been pressuring the former leader, who
was the first elected president on the party’s
platform, by either visiting him or through telephone
calls.


This newspaper learnt that the former president,
who was also the PDP leader and Chairman of its
Board of Trustees, has repeatedly rebuffed the
request to return to the party.
Sources close to him said at some point he told
those mounting pressure on him that rather than
returning to the party he would encourage viable
opposition from other standpoints.


“I’m done with party politics here on earth and in
heaven. Period,” Mr. Obasanjo was overheard
telling a PDP chieftain who telephoned him recently
to raise the matter.
Mr. Obasanjo was also said to have told some
people pressuring him that he could have
considered returning to the party had his
membership card not been publicly thorn before
the general elections.


He was quoted as saying his membership card has
been shredded and that “as it is now, a goat has
eaten up the pieces”.
Mr. Obasanjo confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES in a
telephone interview that he has been under
pressure to return to the PDP but vowed not to do
so.
“I’m not ready to discuss partisan politics because
I’m done with it,” he said.


After a meeting with Mr. Jonathan sometime in
February, the outgoing governor of Jigawa State,
Sule Lamido, had assured that the PDP would beg
Mr. Obasanjo to return to the party.
“When a father is angry with his children, the
children should beg him. Baba is more than a party
man. He is an icon, a national symbol and a leader
and inventor, a creator of all the institutions today
in Nigeria from the president to the governors, who
are his own sons, are all his creations.”


“And so when a father is angry with his children,
we will only say we are sorry to him. But then, we
cannot be renounced for whatever it is…….We
might have made some mistakes, but abandoning
us is not the solution because the country is first
before anything else. So, he is our Baba even up to
the president.”


But Mr. Obasanjo told PREMIUM TIMES he has
foreclosed any possibility of returning to the PDP.
“I agree that Nigeria needs a strong and viable
opposition and I will continue to encourage that,”
the former President said. “I will continue to do that
even without belonging to a political party. I have
moved beyond party politics.”



SOURCE: Premiumtimesng

If i hear

sure?

Baba wan go heaven play his dirty politics before? Thank God he changed his mind angel Michael for flog him die

Buhari abeg jail OBJ


Na correct thief

I wish this man live longer to contest in 2019 and rule Nig again

Baba no-regret is tired and should retire. If I were him, what will be paramount is living everyday as if it is the last.

still politics tricks

dis baba get sense ehhhhnnn

baba not fit stop his politics just the way NEPA no fit stop to take light

Akkord4gov:
I wish this man live longer to contest in 2019 and rule Nig again

Stop wishing as it's not possible

By 2019, if he's still alive, we shall remind him of this declaration.

BlackTechnology:
Buhari abeg jail OBJ


Na correct thief

I don't know who is more stup1d between you and shariareporters. It seems like his mother is a transgendered man cos something has to be wrong. Or maybe the sperm of a donkey was mixed with his fathers own to produce the fool.

wise baba

History will not forget u for bringin us Buhari after enough suffering from another administration that u brought too

Obasanjo really learnt and he is putting to practice what he learnt at the theology school.

Baba want to attack from outside the field. Buhari should better get for OBJ missiles.

Baba obora has spoken after defeating GEJ the clueless one! !

Baba obora has spoken after defeating GEJ the clueless! !!!

Whoz obasanjo?

ammyluv2002:
If i hear

dont mind those polithievians.

U ar done wit party politics in earth and hell- fire.

God bless you Baba! Wise man