Five Peoples Democratic Party governors led by the Chairman, PDP Governors Forum, and governor, Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday held a closed-door meeting, which lasted for three hours, with the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Other governors on the trip are the governors of Bauchi, Jigawa, Cross River, and Niger states, Isa Yuguda, Sule Lamido, Liyel Imoke and Babangida Aliyu respectively.
The governors arrived Obasanjo’s residence around 12.30pm and emerged from the inner chamber at exactly 3.30pm.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Obasanjo, said the governors’ visit was not unconnected with nagging issues of the Boko Haram insurgents and the economy.
But from his utterance, the frosty relationship between President Goodluck Jonathan and Obasanjo was also discussed.
He said that his criticism of Jonathan in recent times was not aimed at castigating or bad-mouthing him.
He said,” First of all, I thank my colleagues and my brothers who have decided to pay me a special visit. They were concerned about what you may call the situation of the nation, the security, and the economy. What we have discussed, most of them I have raised in my own public pronouncement in recent times, not to castigate anybody, not to bad-mouth anybody, not to run anybody down, but out of genuine concern for the situation of this country and that is the same thing that has brought them and I want to thank them.”
The former President noted that the situation in the country currently was bad, but added that it was not totally irretrievable.
He added, “When we look at these issues closely, very objectively and we came to the conclusion that yes, we have a bad situation, but not irretrievably bad. Something can still be done and what is now required is the will and the courage to do something when and how it needs to be done.”
Obasanjo, who appreciated the governors for their concern for the nation, said the task to save the country was not for one man or group but for all Nigerians. Excuse me, isn't Obasanjo a cause of most of our past problems too? As his daughter says, Dead Daddy, you don't won Nigeria!
Other governors on the trip are the governors of Bauchi, Jigawa, Cross River, and Niger states, Isa Yuguda, Sule Lamido, Liyel Imoke and Babangida Aliyu respectively.
The governors arrived Obasanjo’s residence around 12.30pm and emerged from the inner chamber at exactly 3.30pm.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Obasanjo, said the governors’ visit was not unconnected with nagging issues of the Boko Haram insurgents and the economy.
But from his utterance, the frosty relationship between President Goodluck Jonathan and Obasanjo was also discussed.
He said that his criticism of Jonathan in recent times was not aimed at castigating or bad-mouthing him.
He said,” First of all, I thank my colleagues and my brothers who have decided to pay me a special visit. They were concerned about what you may call the situation of the nation, the security, and the economy. What we have discussed, most of them I have raised in my own public pronouncement in recent times, not to castigate anybody, not to bad-mouth anybody, not to run anybody down, but out of genuine concern for the situation of this country and that is the same thing that has brought them and I want to thank them.”
The former President noted that the situation in the country currently was bad, but added that it was not totally irretrievable.
He added, “When we look at these issues closely, very objectively and we came to the conclusion that yes, we have a bad situation, but not irretrievably bad. Something can still be done and what is now required is the will and the courage to do something when and how it needs to be done.”
Obasanjo, who appreciated the governors for their concern for the nation, said the task to save the country was not for one man or group but for all Nigerians. Excuse me, isn't Obasanjo a cause of most of our past problems too? As his daughter says, Dead Daddy, you don't won Nigeria!
With files from Punch Newspapers
