I Remain A Party Less Nigerian -Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said he remains a ‘party-less Nigerian’ but will continue to be a statesman. He said this on Monday at his Abeokuta Hilltop residence when a delegation from Kogi State, led by the state Governor, Captain Idris Wada (retd.), paid him a courtesy visit. The former president, who was the former chairman, Board of Trustees, the Peoples Democratic Party, said despite not playing active partisan politics anymore, he would continue to work with any Nigerian with good intention and leadership traits to develop the country.

He noted that the personality and performance would normally rank above the party platform. He said, “We should understand first that, not the party makes the person, but the person makes the party. It is who you are that you bring into the party. “Though for now I remain a “party-less” Nigerian, but I will continue to welcome any Nigerian with good leadership qualities. “It does not matter which party you are, either the PDP, the APC, Labour, APGA or any party at all, As long as you are committed, sincere and a purposeful leader, I am ready for you.” Obasanjo, who commended Wada for engendering peace in Kogi State, said he was providing purposeful leadership. He said, “Everybody is welcome. But, they must be with good leadership traits, with genuine intention to improve the country.” Wada, on his own part, described Obasanjo as a father of the nation, stressing that those who believed in him would continue to learn from his commitment and dedication to the growth of the country. He said, “Everywhere we meet Baba, we learn a lot and we shall continue to learn from him. He is a father of the nation. He is a figure we admire. “We pray that we all will be like him, because he is a committed Nigeria who has devoted himself to the growth of the country. So, why not, if some of us decide to emulate him, be with him and appreciate him.” Among those who accompanied the governor was a frontline women leader of the PDP in Kogi State, Olori Margaret Orebiyi, who also described Obasanjo as the landlord of the Nigerian nation.