Why I tore my PDP membership card – Obasanjo

By Soni Daniel, Henry Umoru, Ben Agande, Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu, Simon Ebegbulem & Daud Olatunji, LAGOS—A mixture of relief and raging indignation swept through the 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. 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. The members were led by the ward chairman, Alhaji Usman Oladunjoye who asked him to explain where he belongs. In his response, Obasanjo said he had his ears close to the ground and said that he, too, had heard of the plan by the PDP leadership to sanction him. He said: “You asked me two questions and I will answer them comprehensively. This Nigeria belongs to all of us and it must not be destroyed. This is my PDP’s membership card, where I am standing is that Nigeria belongs to everybody including babies. We must not allow anybody to destroy it wherever they come from, whatever they have and if they destroy it, it becomes our burden to our children and incoming generation. “The question asked is that which party am I? I belong to the group that believes that Nigeria must not be destroyed. Those of you that are marketers you observed that there’s inflation in the market. The bureaux de change operators exchanged dollars with N150 then and is (now) going to be N250 to a dollar. “What it means is that, what you’ve been buying for N150 will be bought for N250, this is not the kind of country we dream of. There’s no job, employment. Some people have started destroying Nigeria and I will never be in a party that will destroy Nigeria. Perhaps, you don’t understand that it is because there’s Nigeria that is why PDP exists. Without Nigeria, there will be no PDP anymore. “What some of us should be concerned about now is how to make Nigeria stronger and our economy would witness economic growth. I won’t join another party “They said they want to expel me from PDP, although I have not been told but I have my ears on ground. We’ve been trying to run away from a man but he pleads we wait for him at the other side of the river. I have told you before that I became president on the platform of PDP. Once I leave PDP, I will not join any party. “I will only be a Nigerian, I’m ready to work with anybody regardless of political affiliation. Why would some people say they want to send me away? They don’t need to bother themselves, here’s your membership card, take it,” Obasanjo said as he handed over the card to the ward chairman. “From today on, in the presence of all of us and with your support, I am not going to be in any political party in Nigeria. I am no more a politician but a statesman both internally and externally. Once you people are with me what other people am I looking for? “And on the day of election, whatever it takes”, the PVC must be obtained, you don’t need to be a politician before you get your PVC. On the day of election, you can vote for your choice, but I will vote for those who will repair Nigeria and not those who will destroy it. Tears the card “What is important is that we should hold Ward 11 community together, what we are going to do now is that I don’t have the burden of PDP again. Help me tear into pieces my membership card”, he said as the ward chairman dutifully carried out the directive. Obasanjo also dismissed claims by the Jonathan campaign organisation that he was planning the installation of an interim national government. “How can anybody in his right senses talk of ING in a democratic setting? Some of them are working for it (but) God will not allow it. In my ward, we’ll be meeting from time to time to discuss and interact on whatever you want and what I want. “I don’t want to be carrying membership card around but you can do that but when election comes, we’ll pray God would direct us to vote rightly. Nigeria will be okay, Ogun will be alright,” Obasanjo said. Ward members jubilate Immediately after Obasanjo’s card was torn, his ward members rose in jubilation and started praising him for the action. Before now, scores of Obasanjo’s loyalists, including the sacked PDP National Auditor, Chief Bode Mustapha; the sacked National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former governor Segun Oni, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, Chief Jide Awosedo and others had defected from the PDP to the APC, on the orders of the former president. The former Board of Trustees chairman had also, about a year ago, written an open letter to President Jonathan, expressing his displeasure about the state of the nation and the need for him not to continue to associate with the likes of the Chairman of the Organization and Mobilization Committee of the party in the South West, Prince Buruji Kashamu. Expulsion drama Shortly after the development, there was a mild drama when the chairman of the state chapter of the party, Adebayo Dayo said the chapter had expelled the former president from the party over alleged “unabated anti-party activities unbecoming of a highly celebrated party man”. Dayo at a news conference yesterday, said his Ward 11 Abeokuta North LG had earlier sent in a letter dated February 12, 2015, expressing serious concerns at his numerous anti-party activities and uncomplimentary utterances targeted at the leader of the party, President Jonathan. Obasanjo’s exit: We remain focused— PDP Reacting to the development last night, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement said the party received the news with shock but would remain focused. “While we concede to the inalienable rights of every citizen to hold opinion and to decide who to associate with, we are however deeply saddened that Chief Obasanjo, a revered leader of our party, our first presidential flagbearer, whom the PDP offered the platform to rule our nation for eight years, could decide to abandon this party at this critical point in time. “This is especially as Chief Obasanjo, who was also the Chairman of the highest advisory organ of the PDP, the Board of Trustees (BoT) discountenanced all pleas by elders and leaders of our great party with regard to his reservations on certain issues within our fold. Many Nigerians are still bewildered as regards what manner of provocation that could have led a former President to lose his composure and go to the extent of tearing the membership card of the party that he once led. “Indeed, the PDP is hugely at a loss as to how the decision and action of the former President who had enjoyed the benefits of being elected to the highest position of leadership will assist in deepening our democracy and stabilizing the polity. “It is our considered opinion that no matter the provocation, a statesmanly disposition from a person of Chief Obasanjo’s status could have encouraged our citizens and progress stability in the system. We believe, however, that what this country needs now is patriotic actions that engender national unity, tolerance and peaceful co-existence of our people irrespective of political, ethnic and religious persuasions. The overall interest of our nation and well being of our citizens must remain paramount and above all personal and group interests. “Finally, we direct all our members across the country to remain focused on our campaigns and not to be distracted on this issue. With an array of credible candidates led by our Presidential flagbearer, President Goodluck Jonathan, we are sure that we will emerge victorious come March 28 and April 11, 2015 general elections.” We will not miss him — Anenih The chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, yesterday, dismissed Obasanjo’s decision to dump the PDP, saying that “leaders will not miss” his departure. Chief Anthony Akhakon Anenih In a brief interview with State House correspondents after meeting with President Jonathan, Chief Anenih said it is within Obasanjo’s right to dump the party. “He (Obasanjo) has the right to leave any party, and he has the right to join any party, he is a Nigerian” Anenih said. When he was queried by reporters whether PDP would not miss Obasanjo, Anenih replied: “Why should we miss him?” Asked if the former president was not a big loss to the party, the BoT chairman said “to us leaders it is not a loss.” Senator Walid Jubril, Secretary BoT The secretary of the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, Senator Walid Jubril said that as a former Chairman of BoT, who knows the procedure of resigning, the former president should have a re-think and resign properly. “If I were him, I will not behave the way he did, there are procedures of leaving the party. He was Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT of the party and with his position, he would have followed the procedure. “There is nothing to celebrate there, it is not worth it, that is his palaver, not our own. As he left, millions have come to the party, many people like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar left before now. We are facing our Transformation Agenda for the people of Nigeria. Obasanjo should have a re-think and do the right thing by following the procedure of the party which gave him the platform to become the country’s president for eight years.” Big yoke off PDP’s back — Babatope Another member of the BoT Chief Ebenezer Babatope said, yesterday, that with the exit, a huge yoke has been lifted off the necks of PDP. “Obasanjo leaving the PDP has come as a happy and welcome development. With Obasanjo’s exit, a huge yoke has been lifted off the necks of PDP. I congratulate the PDP for being patient in dealing with former President Obasanjo’s offensives against the party without embarking on wild and unproductive conclusions. “Though Obasanjo is a hard fighter, his exit will have no effect of any kind on the PDP. The PDP will by God’s grace win the March elections.” Olabode George, others Former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George; former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe among others, lampooned former President Olusegun Obasanjo for dumping the PDP. George: Soon, FG will resolve Diya, others’ rights issue This was contained in a statement issued and signed by members of the South-West Presidential contact Committee including Chief Olabode George, Senator Seye Ogunlewe, Maj. Gen. A.T. Olanrewaju, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Elder Joju Fadairo, Otunba Adebisi Omoyeni, Amb. Toye Olofintuyi, Sen. Adefemi Kila, Chief Segun Adegoke, Prince Nekan Olateru-Olagbegi, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, Olayinka Omilani, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Sen. Olu Alabi, Dr. Saka Balogun and Alhaji Mustapha Omokunmi. The group condemned Obasanjo’s recent remarks saying it was “too personalised and provocative.” The South-West PDP group said “the intervention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the current national challenges is distorted, unstatesmanly, too personalised and provocative. “Former President Obasanjo cannot and must not assume the role of the Nigerian overlord with infallible wisdom.” The committee also said “former President Obasanjo has descended into the bitter fray of a common partisan actor without the distinction and dignity of a rallying unifying leader.” The group noted that Obasanjo has been “very inciting, precipitous and violent in his utterances and, therefore, likely to provoke untoward events in this nation.” It, however, condemned “vigorously with all sense of patriotic candour any attempt by former President Obasanjo or anybody else, to provoke the collapse or vitiation of our democracy.” Calling for the removal of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, the group said the Commission was unprepared to conduct free and fair elections. It’s unbecoming of an elder-statesman—Obanikoro Former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, yesterday, said the actions taken by former President Obasanjo was unbecoming of an elder-statesman. Obanikoro said this at a youth interactive session organised by the Directorate of Youth Mobilisation of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation. The former minister said: “What Obasanjo did is unbecoming of an elder-statesman. In the history of democracy or in any part of the world, I have never seen a situation whereby a former President on the platform of a party did what Obasanjo is reported to have done. If he did that, it shows the level this society has degenerated into and it is evident that such people, cannot be trusted with power.” He was frustrated out – Ihonvbere Prof. Julius Ihonvbere who worked as Special Adviser on Policy and Programmes Monitoring in the Obasanjo presidency said that the former president was frustrated as “baba never wanted to leave the PDP”. Ihonvbere who himself left the PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC, and is presently the Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG), said “the manner at which he tore his PDP card and asked his ward chairman to do the same simply expresses his frustration with the PDP. A man who has been two term president under PDP, who has been chairman Board of Trustees of the PDP, for him to take that step means he has seen very many things that the average Nigerian has not seen. “The PDP is busy insulting people, lying with statistics and documentaries while the APC is telling Nigerians what they want to do. So Baba is just expressing his dissatisfaction, and his belief and if you know him, that is him, that is his style, he does not pretend for too long.” Obasanjo did nothing wrong—David West “Obasanjo did not tear his membership card. He told his ward chairman to tear it. Obasanjo has a right to join a party of his choice. I have never joined any party in my life. As a statesman, if he did anything despicable, he should not be cautioned by the military. He was the chairman of the PDP board of trustees. He is a statesman that should be respected. He is a disciplined Nigerian and Nigeria should copy the discipline in the military and extend it to Obasanjo. He has done nothing wrong. He has the right to express himself politically and as a former Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, he should be treated with the respect he deserves. He is a double dealer— Owie Also, yesterday, former Senate Whip, Senator Rowland Owie who described former President Obasanjo as a permanent double dealer, said: “I urge well meaning Nigerians, President Jonathan, and PDP, who believe in the unity of Nigeria, freedom of religion, not to be distracted by Obasanjo’s antics, for the Word of God says, “Why this uproar among the nations, this impotent muttering of the peoples? Kings of the earth take up position, princes plot together against Yahweh and his anointed, Now let us break the fetters! Now let us throw off their bonds! He who is enthroned in the Heavens laughs, Yahweh makes a mockery of them, then in His anger rebukes them, in His rage He strikes them with terror Psalm..2..v,.1-5..” NPP reacts Also reacting, a group under the aegis, the Nigeria Posterity Project, NPP described the exit of Obasanjo from PDP as good riddance to bad rubbish. A statement by its National Coordinator, Louis Ebodaghe, read: “For a man who ran the PDP as his personal estate during his tenure as president, a man who brooked no opposition and was intolerant of opposing views, his unquenchable desire to control the apparatus of the PDP even after he had left office is legendary. “Chief Obasanjo has by his self-conceited nature displayed his lack of decorum by publicly tearing his PDP membership card; an act we consider childish, dishonourable and portrays him as someone who subscribes to the principle of pull him down syndrome if he doesn’t have his way.” He is a mistake to the PDP — Ogundipe South West Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe on his part described Obasanjo as a mistake to the PDP. Speaking with Vanguard, Ogundipe said: “Obasanjo is a mistake to PDP. When you find an elderly person abusing his junior, he is looking for trouble. I want to be quoted that when Obasanjo was in office, no one did what he is doing to Jonathan. Obasanjo will soon tell us what he has done for the Yourba race. “Under Obasanjo, the Lagos-Ibadan expressway was a death trap. If you want to measure any government by achievements, Jonathan is ahead of him. Whatever opinion Obasanjo has, as far as I am concerned, it will have no effect on the coming elections. I won’t be surprised if Obasanjo is already acting the script of a foreign government that wants an Interim government in Nigeria. The Southwest people will not be deceived, we are solidly behind President Goodluck Jonathan and by the grace of God, he will be returned as president of Nigeria on March 28″. Good decision – Benue CNPP The Benue state chairman of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, Mr. Baba Agan on his part lauded Obasanjo’s action saying “it is a step in the right direction.” Agan, who spoke to reporters, yesterday, in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, said “the decision was also the mark of a true statesman.” He said the former president “should be commended for his decision rather than being vilified by those who feel that his exit would be injurious to their political fortunes. “Honestly, I think that what Obasanjo did was much expected, what he did was right and proper, because if you agree with me, at his level he shouldn’t be identified with any party. Yoruba leaders, PDP chieftains react to Obasanjo’s exit Speaking on the development, a former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, said: “Obasanjo has laid that foundation before now. He did that through his actions and comments. We are not surprised that he did that. It is better for him to go than to remain a mole in the party.” Founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Dr. Fredrick Fasheun said: “There is freedom of association and Obasanjo has just exercised that. I would not like to suggest the implications for the Yoruba people but it is not every Yoruba leader that can be followed by the people. A leader who does reasonable things will be followed. But when you do unreasonable things, you will not be followed.” A former acting National Secretary of the PDP, Dr. Remi Akitoye said the exit of the former president will not affect the chances of the PDP especially in the South West. Akitoye said: “Obasanjo is a responsible member of this society, he is a founding member of PDP. If there is any disagreement, time and space will resolve the issue, there is internal mechanism in the structure of the PDP that allows for dispute resolution. His exit will not and it cannot affect the chances of the PDP in the South West. What I am very particular about is that, we have a mechanism in the party to resolve this kind of disagreement. Time and space will reveal all this.” He’s a wounded lion—Kashamu On his part, Chairman, Organisation and Mobilisation Committee of the PDP South West, Prince Buruji Kashamu called for the immediate investigation and arrest of Obasanjo on grounds of alleged corruption. Addressing newsmen in Lagos, Kashamu accused the former president of making unguarded utterances capable of heating up the polity. He said: “My immediate reaction when I heard of Obasanjo’s latest outbursts were when did this pseudo-democrat become a defender of democracy? Who has corrupted our electoral and democratic firmament more than Chief Obasanjo? How can the architect of Third Term Agenda accuse anyone of trying to scuttle democracy? Obasanjo still wants to continue in power because if the All Progressives Congress (APC) wins, he will be the one that will control everything. All that is going on now is hypocritical, how can a pastor work with a fanatic?” Accussing Obasanjo of working to subvert the will of the people, he said: “Let us not be deceived. As well-intentioned as Chief Obasanjo’s homily may seem, it is all lies. It is any open show of his manipulative skills and his well-known egoistic craving for power and relevance. Obasanjo is a wounded lion that should be caged to preserve the nation because he yearns to be ruling Nigeria through the back door.” Obasanjo’s decision, wise but belated—Tsav A retired Police Commissioner, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said: ‘’I think the action taken by Chief Obasanjo in dumping the PDP is honourable and in order. You will recall that when Obasanjo singularly nominated Jonathan as the running mate of late Umar Yar’Adua, many of his townsmen objected to that. On his part, Jonathan described Obasanjo as his benefactor next to God. Jonathan later referred to Obasanjo as motor-park tout.” Fani-Kayode who was a minister under Obasanjo is today calling him names. This reminds me of Hubert Ogunde’s song, titled: Yoruba Ronu. Fayose has become so wild and undisciplined and has resorted to abusing Obasanjo. The PDP has degenerated into a party of thugs and desperate persons where truth has no place. No decent and responsible person will belong to such an organisation. I hail Obasanjo for his wise and belated decision.’’ He acted unstatesmanly — Austin Opara On his part, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Austin Okpara, said: ‘’It is very unfortunate that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has acted unstatesmanly. Some of us believed he has behaved as if he is out to destroy. He should have been a nation builder and not a destroyer. His approach is not in the best interest of this country and it is very unfortunate. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/tore-my-pdp-membership-card-obasanjo/#sthash.hg7Nv6Sx.dpuf