leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, after
former President Olusegun Obasanjo publicly tore his membership card
of the ruling party.
Obasanjo's theatrical renunciation of the party on whose platform he
was twice elected president, was laced with another drama hours later
when the state chapter of the party announced his expulsion from the
party.
(PHOTO: OBASANJO--Ex-President Obasanjo (left) watches as Alhaji Usman
Oladunjoye tears the PDP membership card. Right: Obasanjo's card after
it was torn, yesterday.)
In three tweets, last night, Obasanjo gave as his reasons, his
uneasiness in abiding in the same party with a president who he said
was determined to use corruption to destroy the country. He also said
he would not abide in a party that is led by a 'drug baron', saying
his action had freed him to comment on national issues as he felt.
The subdued relief in the Presidency which has been the butt of
Obasanjo's stinging criticism in recent times was manifest, yesterday,
when senior Presidency officials calmly referred responses to the
development to party officials. Chief Tony Anenih, Chairman of the
Board of Trustees and once Obasanjo's trusted aide, led the reactions
with his dismissal of the action, saying the party would not miss him.
A number of other party officials including members of the board of
trustees, state officials in Ogun State, Governor Ayo Fayose, Chief
Buruji Kashamu among others reacted to the development yesterday.
Why I tore myPDP membership card-- Obasanjo
In three tweets, yesterday night, explaining his decision, Obasanjo
said: "I'd rather sacrifice my political party for the interest of
Nigeria than sacrifice my country for a political party led by a drug
baron.
"I'd rather tear the PDP membership card than sit down and let
Jonathan use PDP and corruption to tear my beloved country apart.
"I have national and international standard to maintain. For this
reason I'd rather stand alone than be in the same political party with
Kashamu."
Obasanjo said that the party card he tore was one of the
considerations to him in the bid to project Nigeria, pointing out that
there was nothing he could not sacrifice for the interest of the
nation.
He boasted that despite the destruction of his party card, he would
not be cowed by anyone, as he was still ready to comment on any matter
that required his comment or view.
He said: "If there is anything that requires my comment, position or
views, I will say it. It is only when you kill me that I will stop
doing so."
The former leader, who is known to have spearheaded the emergence of
the Jonathan Presidency, explained that being patriotic demanded the
will to sacrifice anything, including his life for the interest of
Nigeria but not his life for a political party.
"My first preoccupation is what is best for Nigeria: Nigeria first,
party second and anything third," Obasanjo said.
On the Military
He also accused the Presidency under Jonathan of politicising every
public institution in Nigeria, including the Nigerian military.
"It's no longer news that the Presidency has politicised every
institution in Nigeria. Even the military has chosen to be another arm
of PDP," he alleged.
Members of the court martial sit during the inauguration to try
soldiers accused of mutiny tasked with fighting Boko Haram militants
in Abuja on October 2, 2014. Nearly 100 soldiers tasked with fighting
Boko Haram militants in Nigeria's far northeast appeared at a military
court martial on Thursday, facing a range of charges including mutiny.
The hearing comes just weeks after a tribunal sentenced 12 soldiers to
death following their conviction for shooting at their commanding
officer in the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, in May. AFP PHOTO
Vanguard learnt that Obasanjo might have taken his decision to tear
his membership card and voluntarily quit the party before the
leadership, apparently upset by his tantrums against Jonathan moves
against him.
The move to suspend OBJ
It was reliably gathered that the party had mooted the idea of
formally suspending him from its fold but was restrained by the
leadership which had hoped he would soft-pedal over time, only for
Obasanjo to unleash more caustic assaults last week, alleging a
determination of the president to win the forthcoming presidential
election by hook or crook.
Obasanjo early yesterday, announced his exit from the party while
hosting members of the PDP from his Ward 11, Abeokuta North Local
Government Area of Ogun State, who called on him to enquire on his
continued membership of the party following what they claimed as the
no love lost relationship with the president.
Read more at Vanguard:
t.co/9ppgrl0hhY
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