Obasanjo dumps PDP

Ward leader tears his card Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday waved a final bye to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying he should not belong to a party that is working towards Nigeria’s destruction. He watched as his ward leader tore his membership card. He accused the party of destroying the economy, adding that rather than focusing on the general elections, PDP leaders are planning to impose an Interim National Government (ING) on Nigeria. He rejected this. Obasanjo, who is a former chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), was elected president twice in 1999 and 2003 – on the platform of the PDP. After resigning as the BoT chair, Obasanjo had been lukewarm to the party’s affairs. He called it quits yesterday – in a dramatic manner. At a meeting at his home with about 350 members of the PDP in his Ward II, Abeokuta North Local Government, the ex-president asked for his membership card, which was handed over to him by Ward Leader Surajudeen Oladunjoye. He instructed him to tear it. The chairman raised the card up in his two hands and went on to tear it into pieces. He was all smiles. The party followers were excited. Some of them also tore their cards. They were singing and dancing. T’Obasanjo lawa o se (we’re all for Obasanjo), they sang excitedly. Obasanjo said: “If this is why we cannot have the Nigeria we desire, I am no longer part of this.” According to him, if involvement in partisan politics would hinder him from working for a better Nigeria, he is ready to sacrifice his membership of the PDP and become a statesman. Obasanjo said: “This Nigeria belongs to all of us and it must not be destroyed. This is my PDP membership card. Where I am standing is that Nigeria belongs to everybody, including babies. “ We must not allow anybody to destroy it wherever they come from, whatever they have and if they destroy it, it becomes our burden to our children and incoming generation. “The question asked is that which party am I? I belong to the group that believes that Nigeria must not be destroyed. Those of you that are marketers, you observed that there is inflation in the market. “The bureaux de change operators exchanged dollar for N150 then and now it is going to be N250 to a dollar. What it means is that, what you’ve been buying for N150 will be bought for N250. This is not the kind of country we dream of. “There’s no job, no employment. Some people have started destroying Nigeria and I will never be in a party that will destroy Nigeria. Perhaps, you don’t understand that it is because there’s Nigeria that is why PDP exists. “Without Nigeria, there will be no PDP any more. What some of us should be concerned about is how to make Nigeria stronger and our economy will witness growth. “They said they want to expel me from the PDP, although I have not been told, but I have my ears to the ground. We’ve been trying to run away from a man but he pleads we wait for him at the other side of the river. I have told you before that I became president on the platform of the PDP and once I leave the PDP, I will not join another party. “ I will only be a Nigerian. I’m ready to work with anybody, regardless of political affiliation. Why would some people say they want to send me away? They don’t need to bother themselves, here’s your membership card; take it. “From today on in the presence of all of us and with your support I’m not going to be in any political party in Nigeria. I’m no more a politician but a statesman both internally and externally. The issue that they want to expel me from the party once you people are with me what other people am I looking for. “And on the day of election, whatever it takes, the PVC must be obtained. You don’t need to be a politician before you get your PVC. On the day of election, you can vote for your choice, but I will vote for those who repair Nigeria and not those who will destroy it. “What is important is that we should hold Ward 11 community together. What we are going to do now is that after I don’t have burden of PDP again help me tear into pieces my membership card. “How can anybody in his right senses talk of Interim National Government (ING) in a democratic setting? Some of them are working for it. God will not allow it. In my ward, we’ll be meeting from time to time to discuss and interact on whatever you want and what I want. “Nigeria will be okay. Ogun will be okay.”