The studied silence of former president Olusegun Obasanjo over the 2015 presidential primaries of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is giving the Presidency and the leadership of the party concern, LEADERSHIP WEEKEND can authoritatively report.
Since the historic letter written by Obasanjo to Jonathan which was leaked to the media and the reply of the same by the latter, both PDP leaders have stopped talking and Obasanjo has been keeping mum over the zonal rallies of the party.
The rallies which have taken place in Minna, Bauchi and Owerri are being used to test the ground with a view to selling the candidacy of Jonathan ahead of the time indicated on the INEC timetable. But the party hierarchy is said to be worried over how to bring Obasanjo back.
Checks show that some chieftains of the party have been trying all they could behind the scenes to reconcile both President Jonathan and Obasanjo in vain, and, according to one of them, it was the reply of Jonathan to his letter in which he gave it back to the former president that is making Obasanjo not to have anything to do with the party leadership.
“When Obasanjo’s letter came into the open, some of us warned against replying the letter while some cautioned against using the same tone, but those who are very close to the president who wanted him to reply had their way. Here we are now. We all know Baba; he would find it difficult to reconcile with President Jonathan and we need him,” a member of the PDP Board of Trustees said.
He explained that the like of Obasanjo are needed by the party with the desperation of the opposition who are hell-bent on pushing the PDP out of power come 2015.
“The next year’s election is going to be the toughest since 1960; there has never been a time when we have an assembly of influential and powerful aggrieved people who are hell-bent on wresting power from the ruling party like we have in APC. Ironically, those who are there today were once with us but left us because we could not swallow our pride and resolve our differences. This is why our new chairman (Adamu Muazu) is asking those who have left us to come back. This is the time we need people like Baba Obasanjo,” he said.
A political associate of Obasanjo disclosed to our correspondent that some forces have been contacting his principal on behalf of the Presidency and the party but explained that he has decided to be watching the unfolding scenario.
“People have been coming, asking him to reconcile with President Jonathan, but he has been telling them he is not fighting anybody but standing on the truth. He still stands on his position that it was wrong for Jonathan to run for a second term despite the pact that took him to power. They are saying Baba is wrong. But we are watching as events unfold. Up until now, President Jonathan has not said he desires a second term, but it is doubtful if there is anyone in the country who is not aware.”
Another source said, “If President Jonathan could apologise for the mistakes of the past and seek Obasanjo’s forgiveness, maybe… but if his government believes they could do without him, I wish them best of luck.”
Obj loyalists parley with APC in Ogun
Meanwhile, there are indications that former president Obasanjo’s faction of the PDP in Ogun State may have concluded plans to participate in today’s ward congresses of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The chairman of the Ogun PDP loyal to the former president, Senator Dipo Odujinrin, on Thursday led other chieftains of his faction to attend a strategic meeting of the APC.
The other chieftains of the Obasanjo faction at the meeting included the sacked national auditor of the PDP, Chief Bode Mustapha. The APC stakeholders’ meeting had in attendance Governor Ibikunle Amosun and the party’s national leader, Chief Olusegun Osoba, as well as National Assembly members from the state and state House of Assembly members,
Also on Friday, the media aide to Obasanjo, Mr Tunde Oladunjoye, attended a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the APC in Abeokuta preparatory to the conduct of today’s ward congresses.
Mustapha, who declined to speak for the other members of the Obasanjo faction of the Ogun PDP, told our correspondent on the phone that he had moved to the APC.
The former PDP national auditor also confirmed his participation in today’s ward congresses of the party. “I have moved as Bode Mustapha because of injustice. I cannot stay where there is injustice,” he said.
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