11th January, 2014
Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
The withdrawal of former President Olusegun Obasanjo from the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, has triggered a variety of reactions, with several condemning the move as hypocritical.
Obasanjo, also a former chairman of party’s Board of Trustees,BoT had in a letter sent to the National Chairman of the party,Alhaji Bamangar Tukur, expressed displeasure about how the party is being run,especially in the South West,where he said the party has been handed over to Prince Buruji Kashamu,a “Wanted Man” in the United States of America.
The Chairman of PDP in Ogun State,Engr.Bayo Dayo said,Obasanjo’s withdrawal will not have any adverse effect on the party,adding that Obasanjo was not a founding member, as he was asked to join.
“It is a free world. Democracy is interesting.Sometimes,you decide to be in politics,sometimes,you decide to move out of it.It is unfortunate how things are going now. Everybody has plan to do whatever he wishes to do and no one can stop or dictate or decide for anybody.Though,I will be happy that we still have Baba around us but who am I or anyone to decide for him?
“If anybody wants to step aside,let him step aside. We can all remember one man who said he is stepping aside then,didn’t we continue as a nation? We did. So,if Obasanjo has decided to withdraw from the party or politics,it has no effect on the party”, he added.
Dayo was dead certain that Obasanjo’s withdrawal will not adversely affect the fortunes of the party in Ogun State.
“Nothing will happen to the party. Baba Obasanjo was not with us when PDP was formed.I was part of the meeting held at Jubril Martins Kuye’s house,where we resolved to meet with him and made him our party’s flagbearer.Though,I was not with those that went to meet him at Ota to pass the information to him,if he had rejected then,won’t PDP be?. So if he decided to do otherwise today,I have no power to stop him”,he declared.
A member of the State House of Assembly and a PDP member, Job Akintan,who represents Yewa North/ Ketu State Constituency said that Obasanjo should not be seen as a traitor,but rather,be praised,for some salient points raised in the letter.
He said that the message should be addressed instead of pretending and be attacking the messenger.
“Baba has not said he is no more in PDP. He is still a card carrying member of PDP.What he is saying is that sanity must be brought back to the party and he will then come back.You will all agree with me that Baba raised some salient issues in the letter,let those issues be looked into in the interest of our party.I even gathered that he copied the President. The issue is beyond Obasanjo’s withdrawal from the party but has to do with the integrity of this country. We are more than what we are seeing now and something urgent must be done to redeem this”,the lawmaker stated,
The Vice Chairman of the party in the State, Leye Odunjo said that the body language of the former President has shown that he is about leaving the party,advising that,he should rather retire from politics.
“We have been suspecting Obasanjo’s move.The day he hosted the APC leadership was the day we sensed the signal. Now saying he is withdrawing because of something is not tenable.My best advice for him is to retire from active politics and play a fatherly role to everybody without attaching any sentiments.He is an elderstateman,who should just remain so”,Odunjo advised.
Bowale Solaja, a PDP member of the House of Assembly who represents the Ijebu-Igbo constituency of Kashamu condemned the attack on Kashamu by Obasanjo.
He said Obasanjo was very cordial with Kashamu when he was pursuing his agenda of removing the former governor of the State,Otunba Gbenga Daniel from the party.
“It is a wrong decision,not a fair decision at all.This is a signal telling us to pack our bags and baggages from the party.But,we will see if those I will call new leaders will take it up from where Baba stopped.The issue of calling Buruj Kashamu a wanted man is uncalled for.He is now calling him all sorts of names,but when the going was good then,Kashamu was the best man. Now that all is not well between them,he is raising unneccesary alarm.Has he forgotten when he was taking him round the country introducing him to everybody as a good man? Has he forgotten when his daughter,Iyabo was always with Kashamu at Transcorp Hotel in Abuja and his house at Ijebu-Igbo? Now the music has changed.Baba should just go and rest”,the lawmaker said.