I’ll Never Leave The Ruling Peoples' Democratic Party — Former Nigerian President Obasanjo Disclosed
Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday, maintained his stance that he is still a card carrying and active member of the People...
http://www.africaeagle.com/2014/10/ill-never-leave-ruling-peoples.html
Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday, maintained his stance that he is still a card carrying and active member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying he would continue to be actively involved at the ward level against the national level, until issues raised by him concerning the party were addressed.
Obasanjo, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, was speaking against the backdrop of an appeal made by the leadership of the party, asking for his forgiveness in any way the party had wronged him.
The two-time elected president said he had no issue with any individual or group of people, as far as the party was concerned, but contended that issues of principle, morality, honour, integrity, commitment and character remained paramount to him.
Obasanjo added that he had never for once left the party, noting that the issue of re-inviting him back was mere misrepresentation.
“Sometimes last week, when I was in Africa as the Chairman of African Union (AU) Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan and while with my fellow commissioners, we were deliberating on how to help that new country out of its problem of security and violence, I received avalanche of news and cacophony of appeals and pleadings from some quarters of PDP leadership.
“There are misunderstandings and misrepresentations which some of those appeals and pleas manifested; hence this explanation from me.
“Talking of inviting me back to PDP is wrong and it is a great misrepresentation, as I have never left PDP and I will never leave PDP.
“I have said it before and I will say it again, I rose to become the president of Nigeria on the platform of PDP and for that reason alone, I will remain a card-carrying and ward-active member of PDP for as long as I have to be a political party member,” he said.
The former president said he would remain active in the party at the ward level until the party leadership did the needful on some of the issues he had, at different times, raised in the interest of the party.
He pointed out the fact that he would not accept “an indicted drug baron said to be wanted in America” to be the leader of his party in his zone.
Obasanjo said his position as the former president of the country, chairman of Commission on Drug and a member of Commission on Drug would not allow him to accept “an indicted drug baron wanted in America” to be the leader of his party in the South-West zone.
He added that he remained committed to the service of the nation, urging all Nigerians to work towards solving the challenges of insecurity, including the continued abduction of the Chibok girls, widening inequality, impunity, corruption, poverty and youth education, infrastructure, empowerment and employment generation.
“Nobody has personally offended me as a result of my membership of PDP. If, however, anybody or group feels offended by my continued membership, I will offer an unreserved apology but continue to remain in the party.
“I have had occasions to say to the president, the President and the party chairman separately that I have no quarrel with any individual or group in the party. There are, for me, issues of principle, morality, honour, integrity, commitment and character, which are paramount.
“I have national and international standard to maintain and reputation to keep and sustain. For these reasons, I opted to remain active only at the ward level of the party till the leadership does the needful.
“But under no condition will my commitment to Nigeria be diminished. And, for me, it is commitment to Nigeria first and any other commitment can only follow in second or third place. Where any other commitment is in tandem with what I see and understand as commitment to Nigeria, such other commitment will share a pride of place with Nigeria.
“I must hasten to thank the president, the President and the chairman of PDP with whom, at their instances, these issues have been discussed and laid to rest. My interest and commitment to Nigeria go beyond partisan politics.
“Today, Nigeria needs all hands on deck to deal with our pressing problems of security. These are issues of concern to most Nigerians. We all need to join hands to move Nigeria forward. I don’t need to be begged for that.
“Rather, I beg and appeal to those who are begging me to realise that we must put Nigeria’s interest above politics – party or personal – otherwise, we will all be judged at the bar of history if not the bar of current affairs. In addition, we must preserve, sustain and deepen democracy and democratic practices,” he said.
Source: Nigerian Tribune
Obasanjo, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, was speaking against the backdrop of an appeal made by the leadership of the party, asking for his forgiveness in any way the party had wronged him.
The two-time elected president said he had no issue with any individual or group of people, as far as the party was concerned, but contended that issues of principle, morality, honour, integrity, commitment and character remained paramount to him.
Obasanjo added that he had never for once left the party, noting that the issue of re-inviting him back was mere misrepresentation.
“Sometimes last week, when I was in Africa as the Chairman of African Union (AU) Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan and while with my fellow commissioners, we were deliberating on how to help that new country out of its problem of security and violence, I received avalanche of news and cacophony of appeals and pleadings from some quarters of PDP leadership.
“There are misunderstandings and misrepresentations which some of those appeals and pleas manifested; hence this explanation from me.
“Talking of inviting me back to PDP is wrong and it is a great misrepresentation, as I have never left PDP and I will never leave PDP.
“I have said it before and I will say it again, I rose to become the president of Nigeria on the platform of PDP and for that reason alone, I will remain a card-carrying and ward-active member of PDP for as long as I have to be a political party member,” he said.
The former president said he would remain active in the party at the ward level until the party leadership did the needful on some of the issues he had, at different times, raised in the interest of the party.
He pointed out the fact that he would not accept “an indicted drug baron said to be wanted in America” to be the leader of his party in his zone.
Obasanjo said his position as the former president of the country, chairman of Commission on Drug and a member of Commission on Drug would not allow him to accept “an indicted drug baron wanted in America” to be the leader of his party in the South-West zone.
He added that he remained committed to the service of the nation, urging all Nigerians to work towards solving the challenges of insecurity, including the continued abduction of the Chibok girls, widening inequality, impunity, corruption, poverty and youth education, infrastructure, empowerment and employment generation.
“Nobody has personally offended me as a result of my membership of PDP. If, however, anybody or group feels offended by my continued membership, I will offer an unreserved apology but continue to remain in the party.
“I have had occasions to say to the president, the President and the party chairman separately that I have no quarrel with any individual or group in the party. There are, for me, issues of principle, morality, honour, integrity, commitment and character, which are paramount.
“I have national and international standard to maintain and reputation to keep and sustain. For these reasons, I opted to remain active only at the ward level of the party till the leadership does the needful.
“But under no condition will my commitment to Nigeria be diminished. And, for me, it is commitment to Nigeria first and any other commitment can only follow in second or third place. Where any other commitment is in tandem with what I see and understand as commitment to Nigeria, such other commitment will share a pride of place with Nigeria.
“I must hasten to thank the president, the President and the chairman of PDP with whom, at their instances, these issues have been discussed and laid to rest. My interest and commitment to Nigeria go beyond partisan politics.
“Today, Nigeria needs all hands on deck to deal with our pressing problems of security. These are issues of concern to most Nigerians. We all need to join hands to move Nigeria forward. I don’t need to be begged for that.
“Rather, I beg and appeal to those who are begging me to realise that we must put Nigeria’s interest above politics – party or personal – otherwise, we will all be judged at the bar of history if not the bar of current affairs. In addition, we must preserve, sustain and deepen democracy and democratic practices,” he said.
Source: Nigerian Tribune
