Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has told President Goodluck Jonathan bluntly that there is no way he would support him for his second-term bid in the February election after he had referred to him as Motor park tout.
This remark has brought President Jonathan’s attempt at reconciling and getting the former leader’s support for the election at a closed-door meeting last night to a disastrous end.
Obasanjo was said to have emphasized that having referred to him as a “tout” it would be hypocritical for Jonathan to turn around to describe him as the best president Nigeria ever had.
It would be recalled that President Jonathan while receiving members of the Northern Elders Council in Abuja, said that some of the past Nigerian leaders, possibly including Obasanjo were not qualified to be called statesmen.
“Some people call themselves statesmen but they are not, they are just ordinary politicians,” Jonathan told his guests, adding: “to be a statesman is not because you have occupied a big office before, but the question is what are you bringing to bear? Are you building this country or are you a part of people who tell lies to destroy the country?”
Obasanjo was said to have expressed his feelings to several of his aides following a late last night meeting with President Jonathan at his home in Abeokuta. Obasanjo had invited Pastor Adejare Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Bishop David Oyedepo of Winner’s Chapel to witness his meeting with the President.
It was learnt that a few hours after meeting with Jonathan, Obasanjo met with leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and their presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, during which time he made it clear that he will support the best candidate regardless of party affiliation.
Upon arriving at the meeting with Obasanjo today, Jonathan tried to turn on the charm, lavishing praises on Obasanjo as he blamed the escalation of attacks on him as the work of his (Jonathan) aides.
President Obasanjo apparently did not buy such praises but waited for a vantage moment to make it clear that he would not change his position on Jonathan’s presidential bid.
Obasanjo’s subsequent and open display of affection towards the APC leadership has reportedly sent shock waves in the Jonathan’s camp, where it is regarded as confirmation that the conciliation efforts with Obasanjo have collapsed, leaving him in grave political danger with the election just one month away.
It was learnt that before the meeting with Buhari today in Abeokuta, the former president had written a letter to Buhari to smoothen their relationship. [myad]
