His meeting with the NSA coincided with the hosting of a peace parley convened at the same venue by PDP leaders to resolve the protracted feud in the Ogun State chapter of PDP, which had pitched the former leader with some forces.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the NSA arrived at the residence of Obasanjo at about 12.35 p.m.
According to the source, two very close associates of the former leader had indicated their willingness to be part of the meeting but the former leader reportedly objected on the ground that it was planned to be a closed –door session.
Obasanjo has been one of the critics of the Jonathan administration over its approach to tackling the insurgency in the Northern part of the country, but it was not clear if the rising clamour by some senior citizens for amnesty for the militant Boko Haram members was discussed by the leaders.
While the comprehensive details of their discussions remained sketchy as of press time on Monday, a source, who was among the dignitaries that had converged on the same premises for the PDP meeting before Dasuki arrived, quoted Obasanjo Was saying the NSA said his visit was part of the ongoing general consultations on how to stem the problem of insecurity in the country.
According to the source, the former president said he was told that some persons were equally worried about what they saw as his body language, following certain developments in the political circle, especially in PDP.
Obasanjo was further quoted as claiming to have received another ‘emissary’ not long ago because of what was perceived as his tactical way of avoiding the authorities by electing to embark on foreign trips more frequently. However, he did not give the name of the emissary.
Meanwhile, Obasanjo has promised not to watch from the sidelines the unfolding events concerning the 2015 presidential election, another source at the PDP meeting, has said.
The meeting with PDP leaders, which began at about 1.45 p.m. and lasting for about three hours, was primarily designed to broker peace among the warring PDP camps in his home state.
He told the party members that he was not going to adopt the siddon look attitude, which he recalled that his close friend and former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, late Chief Bola Ige used as a metaphor for passive resistance against the Shenanigans that characterized the party politics of the Abacha era.
He said he would not only be on his feet but also remain an active player in the political horse trading as a prelude to the 2015 elections.
The source at the meeting said the ex-president, who appeared being gradually sidelined by some forces in the ruling PDP, said no one should mistaken his current posture as an act of surrender as the battle for the 2015 election rages.
Obasanjo reportedly told the gathering that he had set three major objectives to be accomplished, which included playing a leading role in the next presidential election, ensuring his political camp reclaims his immediate constituency, Ogun State and winning the South-West, adding that he was already working with other like-minds across the country to build the necessary capacity towards attaining the goal.
At the meeting, the chieftains reportedly resolved that the governorship candidate of the party in the 2011 poll, General Tunji Olurin should become the PDP state leader while efforts would be intensified to cement all perceived cracks within the rank and file of the party.
Some of the dignitaries at the PDP meeting included a former Minister of Finance, Senator Jibril Martins- Kuye, Chief [Mrs.] Titi Ajanaku, Dr Gbadebo Oshinowo, Chief Sule Onabiyi, General Tunji Olurin [retd], Chief Johnson Oyewole Fasawe, a former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Segun Oni and Seriki Niyi Adegbenro, who facilitated the PDP peace meeting.
Others were former ministers, commissioners under the administration of former Governor Gbenga Daniel, past senators and PDP members in the state House of Assembly former state chairman of the party, Elder Joju Fadairo, as well as other PDP elders since 1998.
Source: Tribune
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