… Says He has Retired from Partisan Politics
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu, on Saturday led top leaders of the party to visit former President, Olusegun Obasanjo Abeokuta residence.
The entourage of the PDP National Chairman comprises members of the party’s national working committee, a vice presidential candidate, a Presidential aspirant, four former governors and others.
The PDP Vice Presidential candidate in 2019 election, Peter Obi, former Governors, Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Liyel Imoke (Cross River) and Donald Duke (Cross River) a former Presidential Aspirant, Saminu Turaki, were in the team.
Also in the entourage were the Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, Deputy National Chairman (North) Umar Damagum, the National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu, Secretary, Prince Mohammed Kadade Suleiman, the National Woman leader, Prof Effa Alli, National Youth Leader, Ladi Adebutu, Otunba Oyewole Fasawe m, Adamu Waziri and others.
The former President joined the PDP leaders from an inter denominational service Organised for the burial of the late Olowu of Owu, Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu.
The former President has continued to be a vast influence in the PDP in spite of openly quitting the party and ordering his ward chairman to shred his registration card in the build up to the 2015 Presidential election which the party lost.
After a close door meeting that lasted over two hours, Obasanjo told his guests that he was now focused on being a statesman who could give advice when necessary.
He said that he was resolute with his vow to quit partisan politics and that would not change.
A source told our correspondent that the PDP leaders were at Abeokuta to visit OBJ for the first after the emergence of Ayu as National Chairman.
The source was silent on whether the mission of the party leaders was to press for the return of the former President to the party.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Obasanjo said, “I’m no longer in partisan politics and there is nothing that can bring me back. Anybody who wants my advice, I will always be there in the best interest of Nigeria.
“Whatever I do in my own life…because I became president on the platform of PDP, PDP will continue to be part of my life. Since the day I tore my PDP card, that was the day I ceased to be a member of PDP. That day I vowed not to be a member of any political party.
“I will continue to be a statesman.”
In his reaction, Ayu said that the PDP would always cling unto the former President saying “if you leave PDP, the blood of PDP will never leave you.”
He stressed that the party would always need the advice of the former President on the onerous task of governing the country.
