You can’t be my friend if you fail to buy into Nigeria’s project ― Obasanjo

NIGERIA’S former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has said that anyone that failed to buy into the country’s project could not be his friend.

He said this on Sunday when leaders of the South West of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) paid him a visit at his Abeokuta residence.

The PDP leaders were led by the National Vice Chairman, Dr Eddy Olafeso.

Addressing them, Obasanjo, explained that he has shortcomings as any human being and that denying that fact means he was not been truthful to himself.

“I am not a perfect person. I have my shortcomings. If I deny my shortcomings, it means I am not being truthful to myself. But, my shortcomings have nothing to do with my love for Nigeria. It has nothing to do with being greedy or selfishness.

“Politically speaking, you can’t be my friend if you don’t buy into Nigeria’s project. For me, till death, I will continue to push for a better Nigeria,” he added.

Obasanjo urged the party to do away with some of its members whom he described as hypocrites and bad eggs within the party.

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He wondered why some members left the party shortly after the last Presidential election, submitting that some of them were after their “pockets and stomachs.”

Obasanjo advised the leadership of the party to bring up those he called “critical mass of committed people” arguing that the nation needs a vibrant voice and opposition in PDP with a view to building a virile democracy.

He said: “This party need those that will be ready to stand with it, come rain, come shine. I knew PDP would lose the election in 2015 because it was clear. And I knew PDP will need to be rebuilt after losing the election.

“You need what I call a critical mass of committed people, and come rain, come shine they are committed. With that, you can make Nigeria better.

“You see peoples’ faces beautiful but you don’t know what each person harbours inside of him. If you discover a bad egg, remove such a person. And if such a person has learnt his or her lessons there can still be room to accommodate the person.”

He said further there was no basis for comparison between President Muhammadu Buhari and PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

“I said if you compare the two of them (referring to Atiku and Buhari); with what I know and all I have written about the incumbent which they have decided to cover up, Atiku is better than the incumbent by far. That’s the point I am making. And nobody is perfect,” Obasanjo insisted.

Olafeso in his remarks they were in Abeokuta to appreciate Obasanjo for his support for Atiku in the election and also to celebrate with him on his 82nd birthday held on March 5.

He said Obasanjo is always ready to speak truth to the power by not minding whose ox is gored.

“We could not have done well in the last elections in the South West without your support. Your voice resonates above all the lies told in the country and you told the world what is actually happening in your country. You decided that you are going to stand up and fight. There is nothing we can say here that would compensate for the role you have played.

“You supported our presidential candidate and I know for sure that he won that election even if the powers-that-be decided to write results for themselves in the North. It is certainly sure that it is the corner you asked all of us to go that won that election and I know fully-well that God will take this thing back to our party.”

Those in attendance at the meeting were Senator Biodun Olujimi, Senators-elect, Oyo South, Kola Balogun, Ondo Central, Ayo Akinyelure, Rep-elect (Ibarapa North and Central), Hon Ajibola Muraina, former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Minister for State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada and PDP gubernatorial candidate in Ekiti State 2018 election, Prof Olusola Eleka,

Others were former Deputy Governor of Lagos, Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, former Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedoku, PDP Governorship candidate in 2017 Ondo State Governorship election, Eyitayo Jegede SAN among others.