Politics brought two former Heads of State, Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari, together on Saturday and the former president restated his commitment to a strong and unified Nigeria, adding that his mission was to rescue Nigeria from the brink of collapse.
Buhari was in company of prominent leaders and governors of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), at Obasanjo’s Hilltop residence, Abeokuta, who came apparently to woo him into their fold.
Buhari later offered him a membership card, which Obasanjo rejected.
“You don’t need to offer me your party card, I am card-carrying member of the PDP (shows his card), I will take it from you out of courtesy, but I won’t fill it.
“My party is PDP, my politics is Nigeria, Africa and the world in that order.
“I am a democrat, one of the essential ingredients of democracy is opposition party; democracy that has no opposition is questionable.
“If you see yourself as opposition, you are essentially enhancing the chances of democracy in this country”, said the former President, while responding to Buhari’s offer of APC membership card.
In what appears to be a veiled reference to brickbats about his qualification to speak out, he said: “Let me crave your indulgence to say this; that whoever has enjoyed any political office since 1999, such a person can be claimed to be my political child by virtue of the political position and office I have held
“I can conveniently say I am a political father to all,” the former President said, while he also tasked his visitors to play politics devoid of rancour, bitterness and embrace politics of decency, which has Nigeria at heart.
He described himself as an optimist about the Nigeria project thus: “I am optimist about Nigeria, I am totally committed to Nigeria and nothing will detract me from that”.
In his remarks, former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, described Obasanjo in superlatives words, saying that his politics is one that should be envied by Nigerians.
He said their mission was to rescue the country from mis-governance and commended the former president for writing a letter to President Jonathan to remind him that the country is on the brink of collapse.
Tunubu said for a man who, in a civil war and military dictatorship, to keep the country together, Obasanjo can rightly be described as the father of the country,
Tinubu said although APC is an association of strange bed fellows, it was meant to pull the country from the brink.
He said they have come to tap from his wisdom as former military ruler and president.
His words: “No one is unique as yourself, you have seen the tribulations; you have witnessed the agony of totalitarianism and sectarian crisis.
“Your experience in solitary confinement puts you in good stead to speak and act in the interest of the country”.
The APC leaders and their host later went into close door meeting.
Apart from the party’s Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, Buhari and Tinubu, other party leaders on the entourage are, governors of Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi; Imo, Rochas Okorocha; Ogun, Ibikunle Amosun; Oyo, Abiola Ajimobi; Adamawa, Murtala Nyako; Kwara, Abdulfatai Ahmed; Kano, Rabiu Kwankwaso,
Others are Nuhu Ribadu, Former FCT Minister, Nasir El-Rufai; Senator Bukola Saraki; former PDP chairman, Kawu Baraje; and former House of Representatives Speaker, Bello Masari.
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