Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday escalated his rejection of
President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid by declaring his current
mindset to be “Anything But Jonathan” (ABJ).
He expressed his feelings to several of his aides following a late
evening meeting with President Jonathan at his home in Abeokuta. Both
men were in the presence of Pastor Adejare Adeboye, the General Overseer
of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, and Bishop David Oyedepo of
Winner’s Chapel.
To make matters worse, a few hours after meeting with Jonathan,
Obasanjo met with leaders of the All People’s Congress (APC) and their
presidential candidate, Muhammad Buhari, where he affirmed he will
support the best candidate regardless of party affiliation.
Jonathan’s closed-door meeting with Obasanjo clearly failed to soften
the former leader’s hostility towards his floundering re-election bid
as Obasanjo bluntly told him that having referred to him as a “tout”, it
was hypocritical for Jonathan to turn around to describe him as the
best president Nigeria ever had. It would also be recalled that two
months ago, presidential adviser Doyin Okupe gave Jonathan that honor.
On Sunday, as he received members of the Northern Elders Council in
Abuja, an angry Mr. Jonathan had in a barely-veiled description of
Obasanjo, dismissed him as a statesman.
“Some people call themselves statesmen but they are not, they are
just ordinary politicians,” Jonathan told his guests. “To be a
statesman is not because you have occupied a big office before, but the
question is what are you bringing to bear? Are you building this
country or are you a part of people who tell lies to destroy the
country?”
Upon arriving at the meeting with Obasanjo today, Jonathan tried to
turn on the charm, lavishing praise on Obasanjo as he blamed the
escalation of attacks on him as the work of his (Jonathan) aides.
President Obasanjo apparently did not buy any of the goods Jonathan
was hawking. Shortly after the encounter, he told his aides he would
not change his position on Jonathan’s presidential bid.
Obasanjo’s subsequent and open display of affection towards the APC
leadership is reportedly sending shock waves up and down Jonathan’s
camp, where it is regarded as confirmation that the conciliation efforts
with Obasanjo have collapsed, leaving him in grave political danger
with the election just one month away. It will be the first time a PDP
candidate tried to win the presidency with Obasanjo not the candidate,
or firmly on his side.
SaharaReporters has also learnt that before the meeting with Buhari
today in Abeokuta, the former president had written a letter to Buhari
to smoothen their relationship.