2023: What we discussed with Obasanjo — Saraki
The immediate past Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Tuesday, met former President Olusegun Obasanjo behind closed doors in Abeokuta, Ogun State, over issues relating to the repositioning of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Daily Trust recalled that Obasanjo had in February 2015 tore his PDP membership card at the build up to the general elections.
The former Senate president, who spoke with newsmen after the meeting held at Obasanjo’s pent house located within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, told the former president what they were doing to reposition PDP.
Saraki, who is the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Reconciliation and Strategy
Committee, led former governors Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina) and former Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Mulikat Akande Adeola, to meet the former president.
“We told him (Obasanjo) what we are trying to do, to reposition the party, we told him how important that is to project Nigeria and he told us his commitment to Nigeria, that he will never shirk the responsibility to have a better Nigeria.
“Of course, like we all know he (Obasanjo) is not partisan at the moment, his focus in on Nigeria, not on party and that he repeated to us,” he said.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to include opposition parties and international community in the fight against insecurity in the country.
Saraki said the fight against insurgency has gone beyond Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), urging the president to carry along the opposition parties, international friends and other stakeholders in finding lasting solution to the insecurity and other challenges confronting the nation.
He said: “I think what is important for us now, as I keep on repeating, is that these issues are issues that should involve everybody.
“I think that when we talk about kidnapping, when we talk about sense of belonging, these are issues that cut across party lines and what is required now is for government to provide leadership in bringing all stakeholders together.
“Let us discuss and see how we can address some of these issues,” he said.