A major political alignment towards the 2019 general elections was struck yesterday in Lagos when former President Olusegun Obasanjo met with some South-West leaders and members of the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, in Lagos.
This is just as the former President visited his one time ally and former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, in his Ikoyi home to console him on the death of his son, Dipo, who died May 9, 2018.
Although details of the closed-door meeting with the South-West leaders held at the Lekki residence of Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, learnt made public to newsmen, Sunday Telegraph was not that fruitful discussions were made on the need to unify the Yoruba race and secure a common voice in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.
Obasanjo, who arrived the venue of the parley at about 10:41 am in the company of Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, Chief Abraham Akanle, Mr. Joju Fadairo, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, Dr. Gbolade Oshinowo, and Chief Kenny Martins, is opposed to the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
The closed-door meeting, which lasted for about an hour, was held with Adebanjo, Mrs. Awolowo Dosumu, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Dr. Amos Akingba Mr. Supo Shonibare, Senator Femi Okunrounmu, Prof Akin Mabogunje, Prof Banji Akintoye, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, former governor of Ogun State and Director-General, Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; former Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko and others
Upon the completion of the meeting, Obasanjo refused to address newsmen but Adebanjo said the meeting was convened to foster peace and unity among the leaders and people of South-West.
“Nothing more than the fact that Nigeria must move forward. All attempts to establish dictatorial tendencies in the country must be opposed. There must be unity to destroy mediocrity and dictatorship.”
The Afenifere chieftains who was evasive on whether the leaders have narrowed down on any presidential candidate for 2019, added that parley is targeted at bringing about the objectives for which Afenifere and other Yoruba leaders stand for.
“What is important is that the we have our common goal. We don’t have a candidate yet. Not yet. We must agree first, any difference among us must be settled. If you are not united you can’t fight the battle. The Yoruba man must put on their thinking cap,” he said.
Explaining his presence at the meeting, one of the known critics of Obasanjo and former running mate to President Buhari in the 2011 general election, Pastor Tunde Bakare, said: “Being a critic does not mean one is an enemy of the state or the nation. The thinker is the enemy of the mob. If you say I have been a critic of Chief Obasanjo, look at him now being a critic of Muhammadu Buhari too, yet he facilitated his coming in. Critic is not the same thing as criticism – it is let us reason together, things are not going the right way. That is all.
At the, Bode George’s residence, Obasanjo, who was welcomed by George, his family members and PDP leaders including Chief Dapo Sarumi, Chief Okanlawon Shoboyede, Chief Mrs. Kofo Bucknor, Dr. Remi Akitoye, Chief Mrs. Onikepo Oshodi, Captain Tunji Shelle, Mr. Debo Dallas, Mr. Biodun Ejemai, Mr. Tola Animashaun, Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu, among others, commiserated with George over the death of his son.
The meeting was seen as a historic and passion-filled reunion, following the political rift between Obasanjo and George.
Obasanjo, who recalled the sacrifice and selflessness of George’s dedication to the Nigerian union, said: “We cannot query God, but to only take solace in what He has done to you. If this did not happen, who knows what next that will happen? I have not been around but it was in my mind to come over and commiserate with you and the family. May God grant the departed eternal rest.”
However, the visit was said to have turned emotional when George’s sister, Alhaja Majolagbe, declared in her vote of thanks that the rift between the ex-president and George was over with the visit.
Majolagbe said: “We are all shocked when this started. But, today, the Devil has been put to shame. The evil this morning has been condemned outside this house. It will never come to these two great Nigerians anymore. There has come a time again, when my brother will find Ota his home. It is over, Allah takes all thanks.”
Expressing a feeling of satisfaction on the outcome of the meeting, one of the participants said “it was positive,” this was just as Prof Mabogunje, another attendee at the meeting, sang in Yoruba dialect “Why shouldn’t we be happy? It has gone exactly the way we want it to go,” at the conclusion of the meeting.
