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Why I left PDP – Obasanjo

Published

8 years ago

July 15, 2018

Eric

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Saturday, vowed to lead the coalition that would unseat President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

The former President, however, advised the 39 political parties and associations, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding in a grand alliance ahead of general elections last Wednesday, to be cautious of external forces which he believed might want to destabilise the arrangement.

Obasanjo spoke during a closed-door meeting with a 21-man team, led by the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, which visited him in Abeokuta on Saturday.

The meeting was held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, the Ogun State captial.

Among those at the meeting were the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, Senator Walid Jibrin; a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George; a former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and members of the National Working Committee of the PDP.

A source at the meeting, who spoke with one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, said the ex-President told the gathering that he was ready to lead the coalition that would sack Buhari in the 2019 presidential election.

Obasanjo was also said to have told them that he played a prominent role in the formation of the coalition that met in Abuja last week where the parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding to field a single presidential candidate in 2019.

The source added, “The former President asked the attendees (at the MoU signing) to get ready for a fight in 2019 and that he is ready to lead the coalition.

“He told us that it would not be a tea party, and that we should be ready to field a single presidential candidate and that all others would line up behind such candidate.

“He also warned us against saboteurs and that we must be ready to make sacrifices.”

It was also gathered that the former President told his visitors why he left the PDP.

According to multiple sources at the meeting, Obasanjo said he left the former ruling party when a sitting governor was busy abusing him and the leaders of the party refused to caution him.

“He said he decided to leave because the governor (name withheld ) was abusing him and we refused to caution him. He said the governor was also mobilising people to remove him as the chairman of the BoT. He said he decided to leave when we didn’t do anything about these,” the source added.

However, the media aide to the ex-President, Kehinde Akinyemi, in a statement after the meeting, quoted Obasanjo to have advised his guests that all members of the political parties in the PDP-led alliance “must be cautious of fake news, rumours, blackmail and seeds of discord that may be sown among them from external quarters.”

The PDP, African Democratic Congress, the Reformed All Progressives Congress and 36 other political parties had, last week, signed a MoU to forge a grand alliance ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Obasanjo, who expressed confidence in the arrangement, advised that the individuality and independence of each political party must be respected by all parties concerned.

He had added that “it is also desirable that in the process of implementing the MoU to achieve the set objective, solidarity and focus on the objective must be maintained.

“The MOU for grand alliance is what it says – a grand alliance. It is not a merger nor an absorption of any political party by any political party.”

According to the statement, in the delegation were some members of the NWC of the PDP, who apologised to the former President for the way he was treated by the former ruling party.

While the former President told them he would no longer play partisan politics, he stated that his doors would remain opened to those who might need his advice on the way to move the country forward.

While speaking with journalists after the meeting, Secondus said though Obasanjo was no more a member of the PDP, his advice would help the party as the 2019 elections draw near.

He said, “Obasanjo is a national leader in this country. He is a father of the nation. So, we came to consult him. Our deliberation, although a little bit private, is connected to the 2019 polls.

“Yes, it is true Baba is no longer a member of the PDP, but he is a father of the nation. I believe that regardless of political parties, his direction is highly needed now to rescue Nigeria.”

George equally said the grand alliance was needed to rescue the country from the precipice, saying good managers were needed to manage the affairs of the country better.

The Punch

Featured

2027: We’re on Track, ADC Hails S’Court Ruling

Published

1 day ago

May 1, 2026

Eric

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared that it would never be intimidated, distracted, or silenced in its push to realize a better Nigeria.

Spokesman of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, said this in reaction to the Supreme Court ruling, which affirmed David Mark’s leadership of the party.

Abdullahi said the judgment has affirmed that the Mark and Rauf Aregbesola leadership of the party is legitimate.

Abdullahi said: “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) congratulates all our members and leaders across the country on today’s Supreme Court ruling which affirmed the leadership of our party under Senator David Mark as National Chairman, and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.

“Today’s decision is a clear affirmation that our party, its structures, and its leadership under our National Chairman, Senator Mark, and our National Secretary, Ogbeni Aregbesola, are legitimate.

“We commend the five-man panel of the Supreme Court, whose unanimous judgment has today done great credit to the judiciary in our country and our political system.

“However, while we welcome this judgment, we do not mistake it for the end of the struggle. The events leading up to this moment have exposed a troubling pattern of interference, bad faith, and attempts to weaken opposition voices in Nigeria.

“Let it be clearly stated: the ADC will not be intimidated, distracted, or silenced. We remain resolute in our mission to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative.

“We therefore urge all our members, supporters, and democratic stakeholders across the country to remain vigilant.”

Featured

Tinubu Appoints Bianca Ojukwu As Foreign Affairs Minister

Published

2 days ago

April 29, 2026

Eric

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Nigeria’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The announcement was contained in a statement released on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy).

The appointment followed the resignation of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who stepped down to participate in preparations for the 2027 elections.

According to the statement, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s elevation marks a return to a more senior role within Nigeria’s foreign service architecture, having previously served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Her new appointment places her at the helm of Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements, where she is expected to oversee the country’s foreign policy direction, strengthen international partnerships, and advance economic diplomacy objectives.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, following the resignation of Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who stepped down to participate in the 2027 elections.

“Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu previously served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

The Presidency noted that the decision forms part of ongoing efforts to reposition Nigeria’s foreign policy framework for greater efficiency and stronger global engagement. It added that the new minister is expected to deepen diplomatic relations, promote Nigeria’s national interest, and ensure the welfare of Nigerians abroad remains a priority.

In the same announcement, President Tinubu also nominated Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, subject to Senate confirmation.

Enikanolaiye, from Kogi State, previously served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations. He is a seasoned diplomat with over three decades of service in Nigeria’s foreign affairs system and has held key postings in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Ottawa, London, and New Delhi.

The Presidency said the appointments are part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture and improve the country’s global diplomatic engagement.

Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu is a lawyer, diplomat, and former beauty queen who has had a long career in public service and international diplomacy.

She was born on 5 August 1967 in Anambra State and studied law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992 after attending the Nigerian Law School in Lagos.

Her academic background includes a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio in Spain, as well as postgraduate diplomas in Human Rights and International Relations from the Berg Institute, Madrid, and in Dynamics of Conflict and Cooperation from the University for Peace in Costa Rica.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu previously served as Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Diaspora Matters and later became Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain from 2012 to 2015, where she also represented the country at the UN World Tourism Organization. She earlier served as Ambassador to Ghana.

She was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in October 2024 by President Bola Tinubu, where she supported Nigeria’s external affairs portfolio, including diplomacy, consular engagement, and international relations strategy. She has now been appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Nairametrics

Featured

2027: Lagos APC Guber Aspirant Rejects Hamzat As Consensus Candidate

Published

3 days ago

April 29, 2026

Eric

All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Samuel Ajose, has declared that the endorsement of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the next governor by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) will not stand.

GAC, regarded as the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, endorsed Hamzat, as its consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election.

The decision was reached during a closed-door meeting held at Lagos House, Marina, indicating an early alignment within the ruling party ahead of the next electoral cycle.

Speaking after the session, GAC leader, Tajudeen Olusi, said members unanimously agreed on Hamzat, expressing confidence in his ability to sustain and build on the state’s developmental progress.

Olusi explained that the meeting was convened to deliberate on the party’s forthcoming primaries and assess the governorship position ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking about the GAC adoption of Hamzat as Lagos APC consensus 2027 governorship candidate on Arise News on Tuesday, Ajose said that Sanwo-Olu and others are trying to force President Tinubu into making a decision.

“I don’t think our president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is giving in to what they are doing.

“What they are just trying to do is to coerce him into taking a decision, and I don’t think that decision will stand.”