Ex-President rejects PDP's plea to help rebuild party

dimeji akinloye

May 14, 2015 12:05 AM

Sources close Obasanjo reportedly overhead him recently telling one of the PDP chieftains on the telephone that party politics is over for him.

It has emerged that some People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leaders have repeatedly begged the former president Olusegun Obasanjo to help salvage the party, which the Senate President, David mark described as ‘dying.’

According to Premium Times, Obasanjo refused the party’s plea for him to return and help rebuild it ahead of future elections.

In February 2015, the former president publicly renounced his PDP membership at a forum in Abeokuta, Ogun state and directed that his membership card be torn right at the meeting.

Report says those mounting pressure on Obasanjo to return to the party include serving governors and lawmakers. They are said to be making the pleas through visits and via the telephone.

“I’m done with party politics here on earth and in heaven. Period,” the former PDP Board of trustees member was quoted to have said.

Speaking in a telephone interview with Premium Times, Obasanjo confirmed that he has been pressured to return to the PDP, stating he will never.

He said, “I’m not ready to discuss partisan politics because I’m done with it. I agree that Nigeria needs a strong and viable opposition and I will continue to encourage that. I will continue to do that even without belonging to a political party. I have moved beyond party politics.”

Following the March 28 presidential election where President Goodluck Jonathan lost to rtd. General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, the PDP has suffered internal crisis.

In the past weeks, PDP leadership has been shaky, with some of its members demanding the party’s National Chairman Adamu Mua’zu and other executive members to resign. They were accused of working against the party during the elections.

dimeji akinloye