Former Senate President, David Mark, has disclosed that there were times when he was afraid that immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), may suffer some harm for his utterances as the party megaphone.
Mark, who first appointed the former ThisDay Politics Editor as his Special Adviser on media, noted that some of the things Ologbondiyan said on behalf of the PDP gave him the jitters, causing him to calm the party image-maker down on occasions.
The former military general spoke as the chairman of a reception organised for Ologbondiyan in Abuja on Sunday night, which was graced by prominent personalities including former Kogi state governors, Ibrahim Idris, Idris Wada, and John Cardinal Onaiyekan.
He described Ologbondiyan as a courageous and thoroughbred professional who used his God-given talents to advance the course of democracy in the land.
Mark praised Ologbondiyan for his dedication to duty and competence in office.
He said: “We are here to celebrate a worthy Nigerian. A man who has distinguished himself among his colleagues, a courageous gentleman. Kola is a perfect gentleman in every sense.
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“There was a time in this country when we needed a detribalised Nigeria and that was when Kola came on the scene.
“You can see that people here cut across states, regions, religion and party lines and even people without a party are even here with us. That is what Kola truly is- a man who is truly patriotic and a man whose comments at the time he was telling them made people afraid.”
Mark added: “I used to call him and say, I fear for some of these things you are saying oh. But we need a man to say what he was saying. Those of us who are close to him are very proud.
“At a point in time, he was not just the voice of PDP or the opposition; he became the face of opposition and that is what Kola is most known for.”
The former military governor of Niger state hoped that Ologbondiyan will tap from his present for future endeavours, saying: “He has left the National Working Committee, NWC of the PDP but we believe that the good works he has done will follow him all the days of his life, he said, adding that Nigeria will remember and “will praise you for saying what you were saying at the correct time.”
He affirmed that Ologbondiyan has a date with destiny, noting that “the voice of the people is the voice of God. If the people are calling for a higher responsibility for him in the future, it means he deserves it.”
Also speaking, John Cardinal Onaiyekan called for peace in the affairs of men, stressing that without peace, nothing is guaranteed under the sun.
He stated: “We have not recognised how important peace is. All human beings all over this world, are all brothers and sisters. How much more in this little corner of the globe called Nigeria, not to talk of my Kogi State.
“All you need to do is look at the face of the person next to you. He could well be a blood brother or cousin. When you meet children talking together, they don’t just don’t care where you come from. That is the basis of a peaceful society and I believe it is possible if only, we take peace seriously.”
In his remark, former military administrator of defunct Bendel State and Akwa Ibom State, Tunde Ogbeha, said Ologbondiyan as PDP mouthpiece “never disappointed Nigerians because he was responding to all situations and responding appropriately and very well. So it is a good thing.
“He has served, completed his job as national publicity secretary on a very high note and we do congratulate, commend him and ask him to apply his energy and wisdom to his local chapter, Kogi State.”
He similarly predicted that the former PDP spokesman will have a fresh in the future.
“I think the journey to his political eminence is just beginning. For the rest of us, I hope he has set a standard that we need to emulate,” he said.
On his part, while hailing Ologbondiyan for not keeping sealed lips in moments of national crises, media mogul, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi said the ex-PDP spokesman spoke truth to power and damned the consequences.
He added: “We are here to congratulate Kola for facing the very unfortunate challenges he had to go through, the challenges of offices, the collapse of the Nigerian economy, the lowering of Nigeria as the poverty capital of the world, with the unemployment rate hovering over 33 per cent.
“Indeed, as opposition spokesman, he had the courage, strength of knowledge to preach a better Nigeria. It is not an easy task. It is not an easy task to actually run as spokesman when you have no budget at all. You have to depend on goodwill.
“He left office at a time when his services were still more desired when his experience was required by the People’s Democratic Party. But Nigerians, I believe still owe him and he has a lot to contribute to Nigeria.”
Speaking, Ologbondiyan thanked the organizers for the honour done him even as he pledged to do more in the future.
He specifically thanked Senators Mark and Ogbeha, his elder brother, Joseph Ologbondiyan; wife, Omolara; Ibrahim Idris, Ibrahim Wada, Babangida Aliyu, former governors of Kogi and Niger states respectively for trusting his competence to deliver as PDP spokesman following their campaign for his candidacy in 2017.
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