…as party threatens to expose ex-president
Main opposition Peoples Democratic Party on Monday said it’s concerned about former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s comment that he made a mistake picking Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as his Vice President in 1999.
On Saturday, the former President had said he made a mistake in his choice of Atiku as his running mate ahead of the 1999 presidential election.
Obasanjo was elected President in 1999 while the current presidential flagbearear of the PDP, Atiku was his Vice President.
But Obasanjo, who did not mention the PDP presidential flagbearear in his statement, said he made the mistake in good faith but God saved him.
According to him, “One of the mistakes I made was picking my number two when I wanted to become the President. But because it was a genuine mistake, God saved me.”
But reacting to Obasanjo’s statement, the PDP threatened that if Obasanjo fails to clarify the comments credited to him within 48 hours, the party would be left with no other choice than to expose him by telling “Nigerians who he is in reality.”
PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Senator Walid Jibril, issued this threat during a press conference in Kaduna on Monday.
Jubril said though the PDP had great respect for Obasanjo, it would be disappointing if the former president’s statement turned out to be true.
Jibril said, “I wish to appeal to former President Obasanjo to come out openly to repeat what he has said. Whether or not he was misquoted or meant what was credited to him.
“Although he has not debunked what was reported, one can assume that what was quoted to have been said by him is correct, but if he fails to openly come out and say which is correct in 48 hours, you will hear the bombardment and I will have no option but to break the egg and tell the whole world and Nigerians who Obasanjo is.
“There is no doubt Obasanjo may still be angry with Atiku even after helping him to succeed but perhaps for truncating his third term agenda. In any case, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku is our presidential candidate and I can tell you for sure that he will be the President in 2023 Insha Allah.”
Speaking on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s choice of Atiku’s running mate, the PDP BoT chairman disclosed that a high-powered reconciliatory committee would be set up soon to meet Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
“Governor Wike is a great party man who fought for the party. When the committee is constituted, we will also bring other contestants together. We will go and meet with Governor Wike and appeal to him even if it means kneeling down to beg him,” he said.