Obasanjo dumps PDP, tears membership card

Obasanjo, in the presence of party supporters at his Abeokuta residence, collected his PDP membership card from an aide and flung it saying “…if this is why we cannot have the Nigeria we desire, I am no longer part of this.”Thereafter, the former President asked the leader of his ward in Abeokuta North Local Government, […]

Obasanjo, in the presence of party supporters at his Abeokuta residence, collected his PDP membership card from an aide and flung it saying “…if this is why we cannot have the Nigeria we desire, I am no longer part of this.”
Thereafter, the former President asked the leader of his ward in Abeokuta North Local Government, Alhaji Surajudeen Oladunjoye, to tear it.
Oladunjoye, who had led about 350 members of the ward to Obasanjo’s residence, tore the card, to the admiration of the party followers, some of whom also followed Obasanjo’s steps and tore theirs.
Addressing the party members, the former president said if his involvement in partisan politics would stop him from working for a better Nigeria, then he was ready to sacrifice membership of the PDP.
Obasanjo’s partisans were at his residence to find out the state of his relationship with the PDP, which had turned sour lately.
He said: “This Nigeria belongs to all of us and it must not be destroyed … 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, our children’s…
“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 bureau de change operators exchange dollars with N150 then and is going to 250 naira 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, unemployment [is high]. 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 is how to make Nigeria stronger and our economy would witness economic growth.”
On the move to either suspend or expel him from the party, Obasanjo retorted in parables: “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 am 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 is your membership card, take it.
“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. The issue that they want to expel me from the party once you people are with me, what other people am I looking for?”
Obasanjo went ahead to advise the gathering on the election saying, “…. 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 the election, you can vote for your choice. But I will vote for those who will repair Nigeria and not those who will destroy it.
“What is important is that we should hold Ward 11 community together. 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.
Reacting to claim by the Presidency that he was angling to head an Interim Government, he dismissed the claim as inconsequential. “How can anybody in his right senses talk of ING in a democratic setting? Some of them are working for it, God will not allow it,” he said.
The former President had been engaged in a bitter feud with President Goodluck Jonathan, whom he accused of failing in leadership and encouraging corruption.
He also accused Mr. Jonathan of plotting to extend his tenure.
Matters were made worse when last week endorsed Jonathan’s main challenger General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress (APC).