A faction of the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by its chairman Alhaji Taminu Turaki, is currently holding a closed-door meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Turaki, alongside former governors of Nigeria and Plateau States, Alhaji Muazu Babangida and Sen. Jonah Jang, and other senior party leaders, arrived at the former president’s residence within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, at about 11:38am on Saturday.
The PDP leaders subsequently proceeded for a private meeting with Obasanjo.
Speaking with newsmen after the closed-door meeting that lasted about 40 minutes, Turaki said the newly elected leadership of the opposition party visited Obasanjo to get his critical support and guidance ahead of the task ahead.
Turaki, who emerged as the factional chairman of the opposition party during the party’s convention recently in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, described Chief Obasanjo as a highly experienced elder statesman and former president under PDP, whose legacy of building strong institutions has really helped to strengthen democratic growth in Nigeria.
The former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs under former President Goodluck Jonathan said, “Having been given the opportunity to serve, the new leadership of the opposition party thought it wise to visit Obasanjo to drink from his wealth of wisdom and seek for his blessings and support for the success of the new administration.”
Turaki said, “Though the task ahead to send the APC government packing in 2027, due to their incompetence and maladministration, might not be a tea party, the frank talk the opposition party leaders had with Obasanjo has further inspired them that the task ahead was not impossible.
“As the newly elected PDP leadership during our recent congress at Ibadan, we came to introduce ourselves to our father, the former president under the PDP administration, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
“I didn’t come alone; the former Senate President and the BOT Chairman of our great party, Senator Adolphus Wabara, is here. Likewise, our National Secretary, the former deputy governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, is also here. Two former governors of Niger and Plateau States, Alhaji Muazu Babangida Aliyu and Sen. Jonah Jang, are also part of the entourage, among others.
“We came to thank the former president for his vision and contributions to strengthening our democracy and good governance while he was in power. We came to thank him for helping to build strong institutions which the country is enjoying till today.
“We have also come to see the former president to draw inspiration from him as an oracle; we have come to get guidance, we have come to get advice, and we have equally come to get critical support because if we must succeed in the gargantuan assignment that has been thrust upon our shoulders, then we must come to people like Chief Obasanjo who have the prerequisite experience.
“There is a proverb that says, ‘A woman who started cooking before you must definitely have more broken pots. So we have come to see our father here in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, and we have spoken to Baba, and Baba too has spoken to us, and we are enriched.
“We have also realised more than ever before now that yes, the task before us may not be an easy one, but from the inspiration and guidance that we have received from Baba today, we are more than ready to go all the way and take PDP back to the seat of power come 2027.”
He stated that PDP is battle-ready for 2027, and this would be more obvious when the party claims victory in the coming gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun States.
“PDP is battle-ready for 2027, and as our mark of readiness, we shall take over Ekiti State and then follow up with Osun State.
“By the time we win these two states, we shall leave no one in doubt that PDP, once again, is on the move; PDP is on the rise to chase out the APC government with all its incompetence and maladministration in 2027.”
Addressing party members later at the state party secretariat, Turaki urged PDP members globally to give their support to the new leadership of the party, saying that the era of impunity and shenanigans is over in the party, as members would be supported to pitch tent with their preferred candidates during election.
He said, “The truth is that PDP is back and is on the rise to take its rightful place in the democratic process of the country.
“The Nigerians could see that since our convention in Ibadan, the APC is now worried more than ever before; they know that the equation has changed and that PDP is ready to send them packing in 2027.”
The National Secretary of the party, Arapaja, and the BOT Chairman, Wabara, in their separate addresses also urged party members to remain united and begin massive mobilisation even as everyone remains dedicated to bringing the party back to power to continue its tradition of good governance and rich welfare packages for the people in 2027.
Speaking with journalists at the event, the Ogun State Chairman of the party, Abayomi Tella, said the party members were quite happy to be the first state to receive the leadership of the party after their election in Ibadan about three weeks ago.
Tella said that “We are all very happy; our hope is rekindled. Now we know that the end has come to all the shenanigans of the past in the party; it is a new dawn, and we are all happy.”
The state party chairman said that for the 2027 election, the opposition party is battle-ready to defeat the APC government, warning that the people would, however, not tolerate any act of harassment and intimidation as witnessed in recent elections in the state.
He explained that “For 2027, the election will be about the people versus political parties. It doesn’t matter whether it’s APC or PDP. The people of Ogun State have tasted water and palm oil, and they are at home with the difference. So, it is the people of the state with the support of the PDP that will get the mantle of leadership in 2027.
“It’s not about us alone because everyone is tired of this government, enough of this maladministration and bad governance under APC leadership.
“So together with the people, we are battle ready for 2027. What happened in 2023 will not repeat itself; what happened during the Remo Federal Constituency by-election in August will not repeat itself.
“It’s the way they bring it that they will take it back; I am emphatic about this. We are all indigenes of this state; we are all residents of this state, and we have the right to vote and be voted for. You can’t pursue people away from voting for one party; we won’t allow that to happen in 2027.”
