The
formation of a new political party by aggrieved members of the PDP and
the APC has suffered a challenge as they seek the support of former
President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Olusegun Obasanjo
The proposed mega party by some aggrieved opposition politicians of
major political parties in the country may already have run into a
hitch, following the stringent condition allegedly handed down by former
President Olusegun Obasanjo to support the new party.
THISDAY learnt that when the notion of the mega party was brought
to Obasanjo’s notice, the former president, who was not averse to a new
formidable opposition party, was quick to give a condition that his
former deputy when he was in office, former Vice-President Atiku
Abubakar, should not by any means whatsoever become the party’s
presidential candidate in the 2019 elections.
The new opposition party is believed to have the tacit support of
some members of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) that currently controls 11 states in the country,
a National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, and Atiku Abubakar, a major chieftain of the APC.
The party is being championed to challenge the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general election.
However, when Obasanjo, according to sources close to the
ex-president, was approached to lend his support to the new party, he
informed the proponents of the new party that he was prepared to back it
on the condition that Atiku was not picked as the presidential
candidate of the party.
According to a source, who was conversant with the outcome of the meeting with the former president, “He
(Obasanjo) addressed the group that met with him, informing them that
he had made too many mistakes in his life and for the nation, including
the blanket support he claimed to have granted the All Progressives
Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari, and therefore was not
prepared to make any more mistakes.”
The source hinted that the former president said that although he
was quick to support the APC, however, he was not as quick to support
Buhari’s bid to become president in 2015, because he had reservations
about his capacity to lead the country.
But because the APC to which he had declared his support had also settled for Buhari, he had no option than to tag along.
However, given the current state of the nation and political
developments, he informed his guests that it would be foolhardy of him
to rush into taking yet another critical decision, especially on the
presidency of the country.
It was for this reason he was said to have reluctantly supported
the idea of the mega party, but added that he would only identify with
it if Atiku does not emerge the presidential candidate of the party.
He was said to have pointed out that Buhari’s obvious unimpressive
stewardship to date had lent credence to his initial hesitation to
support him and that having worked with Atiku, he could tell where his
presidency would head.
Obasanjo made it clear to the proponents of the mega party that
their presidential candidate could be anybody with the minimum requisite
qualifications and experience, but certainly not Atiku.
Another source, who also hinted at the development, confirmed
Obasanjo’s stringent condition not to field Atiku, saying: “It is true,
that is very correct.”
He further revealed that the reason Obasanjo did not want to make
another mistake with Atiku stemmed from his regret for coming round to
support Buhari despite his reservations.
The source said: “Before the December 2014 congress of the APC,
where Buhari was picked as the presidential candidate of the party, he
informed (Rotimi) Amaechi and others not to back Buhari because he lacks
the capacity to run the country.
“He told them to vote for (Rabiu) Kwankwaso, but his advise was
ignored and now Nigerians are suffering for it, so he does not want to
make the same mistake again by backing the wrong person for presidency
in the person of Atiku.”
On the issue of Senate President Bukola Saraki, the source
disclosed that it was most likely that Saraki would remain with the APC
given the recent attempts at rapprochement by Buhari.
“Also in so far as Tinubu is a major proponent behind the
establishment of the proposed mega party, it is very unlikely that
Saraki will leave the APC to join forces with Tinubu,” the source volunteered.
He added that while those from the other political parties were
ready to go ahead with the formation of the party, the PDP faction led
by Makarfi was yet to fully decide on the issue.
“The PDP component has not really been determined yet. For now,
the plan is to take total control of the party, finish off Ali Modu
Sheriff and then move on in that light. Ultimately, it may be where we
are headed, but the truth is we must first tidy up the PDP house before
moving on.”
According to the source, some individuals in the PDP had already
bought into the mega party idea and had been meeting with those
concerned but “the Markarfi-led PDP as a whole has not really bought
into it. But I can tell you that the APC wing of the merger is set to
roll”.
Still on the Atiku matter, the source hinted that some of the
decision makers in the country, a majority of them retired military
officers, already share Obasanjo’s view and might follow through with
him.
The only person, a major ally in the merger talks, who has refused
to buy into Obasanjo’s position on Atiku, the source hinted, is Tinubu,
who yesterday categorically denied his involvement in the mega party.
But clearing the doubts on the denial, the PDP source said it was
expected since most people would at the moment distance themselves from
any involvement in the new party because of the timing.
“It is important that they all lay low until the timing is
right, so that people are not framed and thrown into the gaol for
pursuing an agenda different from theirs,” he said.
Reacting to his involvement in the formation of yet another
political platform to challenge the APC in the 2019 elections, Tinubu
said he has no intention of abandoning the ruling party, which he
laboured to build.
Tinubu, on his Twitter account, said that despite the mistakes that
had been made by the APC, he remained committed to the “ideals that
fuelled” the formation of the ruling party.
The former Lagos State governor said that the national purpose of the APC was bigger than the desire of any individual.
“I have devoted my political life to achieving what has been
achieved. My heart is too much of the people and my mind too fixed on
establishing a positive historic legacy… rather than engage in
destructive pettiness,” he said.
“This government, APC, is for the betterment of the people and
the national purpose is bigger and more important than any individual’s
desires.
“This is a party I laboured with others to build. We would not
abandon it for another. Millions of Nigerians who voted are watching and
praying.
“In our journey to national betterment, plans and policies will
be made, then amended. Mistakes will occur and then corrected.
Achievements will be had and replicated.
“Through it all, I, Asiwaju will remain true to the progressive ideals that fuelled the creation of APC,” Tinubu said.
In the same breath, a source close to Atiku also denied his
involvement in any shape or form in the proposed mega party, saying the
concern of the former vice-president was in the success of President
Buhari and would not do anything inimical to the collective interest and
ideology of the ruling party.
“I think we should ignore those who out of self-interest are
trying to drive a wedge between the former Vice-President, Atiku
Abubakar and his party, the APC.
“Right now, our nation needs unity of purpose, not political
brinkmanship; we are facing formidable economic and structural
challenges, and we should focus on fixing the many things that prevent
us from unleashing our economic and entrepreneurial potential, instead
of pretending that a little political theatre will magically make things
work,” he said.
Culled from This Day newspaper
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