…Makarfi, others visit ex-president in Ogun

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo declared he is done with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Obasanjo said this, yesterday, shortly after he met with the PDP National Caretaker Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, who visited  him at the  Green Legacy Resort and Hotel, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State.

The former president publicly tore his PDP membership card in 2015.

“Before, I was in PDP but not now. God forbid! When a dog vomits, it goes back to eat its vomit. No, I’ve said no partisan politics for me again and no partisan politics for me again.”

The former president however, pledged that he will always show concern and identify with anything that is good for the country.  “Nigeria is my passion, until death do us part. And anything that concerns Nigeria, the good of Nigeria, you will see my involvement.”

He also said good governance and democracy will only thrive in Nigeria when there is a solid ruling government and vibrant opposition party.

“I have said that publicly before and I will say that again; for our democracy to thrive and to continue to be strong, we need a strong party in government and strong party in opposition. It has to be that way otherwise, the party in government will get away with impunity and that is not good for democracy”, he said.

Makarfi, who was accompanied on his visit by the PDP caretaker chairman in Osun State, Sarafa Tunji Ishola, national caretaker vice chairman, South West, Eddy Olafeso and other top party members arrived  at the Presidential Library around 9.30am and met with Obasanjo behind closed doors.

Details of the meeting are unknown, but, the former president told newsmen that Makarfi was in Abeokuta just to greet him, as a former colleague.

“So, chairman has come to greet me and I greet am. So, now that we have greeted ourselves, chairman will be going.

“You, gentlemen and ladies of the press can now go and leave the chairman alone,” Obasanjo said in pidgin English.

Meanwhile, factional PDP chairman in the state, Bayo Dayo, has described as untrue, claims that party members converged at the party state secretariat to protest against Makarfi’s visit.

Dayo described the information circulated on social media, that Markafi and his entourage were attacked at the party secretariat as false, and added that party members gathered to give them a rousing welcome.

He alleged that former governor, Gbenga Daniel, orchestrated the rumour, which he described as “wicked and unfounded.

“Only yesterday night, we heard that our national caretaker chairman was coming to Ogun State. We quickly sent messages across the 20 local government areas, and told them to join us in welcoming the great leader from Abuja.

“We learnt that in his itinerary, he would be going to visit our Baba Obasanjo and our office is a stone throw to Baba’s house. If somebody is going to Baba’s house, we will see him.

“So, we assembled party men to welcome the national leader and tell him our grievances about what is going on with the Ogun State executive.

“Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to see him and the party members did not have the opportunity of welcoming him to Ogun State,” Dayo said.