Sources close to the former leader disclosed to LEADERSHIP Weekend that Obasanjo has resolved to remain in the PDP to give President Jonathan a good fight for the PDP ticket at the party’s next convention by presenting either Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State or his Katsina State counterpart Ibrahim Shema for the 2015 race.
It was learnt that Obasanjo had prevailed on Lamido not to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) along with the G-5 governors in order to slug it out with President Jonathan if he declares his ambition for a second term. LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that Shema would only come in if Lamido, who was foreign affairs minister during Obasanjo’s presidency, became lukewarm because of the presidency’s use of EFCC’s operatives to hunt him and his sons over alleged N10billion fraud. Shema came to the limelight when he was made PDP vice-chairman for the north-west during Obasanjo’s tenure.
Obasanjo allegedly favours Lamido against President Jonathan because he commands large following from the poor in the north known as the Talakawas from his days in NEPU, which was led by the late Aminu Kano. Lamido is also seen as widely accepted by his colleagues who are angry with the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur leadership of the PDP.
Before the defection of the G-5 governors to the PDP, the G-7 governors met with Obasanjo and other statesmen to intimate them about the internal squabbles in the ruling party with a view to nipping the feud in the bud.
Obasanjo, former military president Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Senator Ahmadu Ali and a few others intervened in the matter, but their efforts failed. Thereafter, Obasanjo wrote an 18-page open letter to the president accusing him of living below the expectations of most Nigerians. He asked President Jonathan to act fast before it was too late.
But that did not frighten Jonathan who returned “fire for fire” with his reply, which did not go down well with the former president.
Although there are subterranean moves to reconcile the two leaders, Obasanjo has made up his mind to stop Jonathan’s second term bid by sponsoring a candidate to compete with him for the PDP ticket for the 2015 presidential poll.
A political associate of Obasanjo who does not want his name in print told our correspondent that Obasanjo would not leave the PDP but would do whatever it takes to salvage it and rescue it from those who are using it for their selfish ambition.
“In the letter written by Baba (Obasanjo) to President Jonathan, a lot of things that could salvage the party from the present cul de sac were stated there but Jonathan has no time for that; instead he insists he has not told anyone of his interest for the second term. We will soon know who is right or wrong; but let me tell you that we are shopping for a candidate who would run against Jonathan for the PDP ticket. If he won, fine, and if he lost fine as well; after all, some people ran against Baba in 1998 and 2003 primaries,” he said.
The source further said: “If he wins, we will support him but if he loses, we expect him to support our candidate. That is politics. This is because, come what may, PDP will retain the presidency in 2015.”
When reminded of the APC leadership’s visit to Obasanjo, the aide explained why Obasanjo would never work for the opposition. According to him, the former president would rather prefer Jonathan’s presidency to APC’s. “We will not support APC candidate at all; that will amount to anti-party activities and remember that Obasanjo had accused the president of doing his stuff for political survival.
Another reason Obasanjo will not work with the APC is because the PDP gave him the ticket to rule the country for eight years. Nothing will make him work against the party. Then look at the APC: the party means Tinubu and Tinubu means APC. Here was a man whose stock-in-trade was to abuse Obasanjo, calling him all sorts of unprintable names for his political agenda; and now he wants us to support him. He should forget it,” he said
Source: Leadership
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