The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, to clarify his recent comment on how God saved him from his genuine mistakes and the choice of his running mate in the 1999 election.
Addressing a news conference, in Kaduna, on Monday, the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibril, said although the party has great respect for the former President, it would be disappointing if the statement credited to him, turned out to be true.
He further accused Obasanjo of being angry with Atiku for truncating his third-term agenda despite the latter’s contribution to his administration.
His words are; “Obasanjo made a mistake of appointing the PDP Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku as his running mate was unfortunate.
“In the present circumstance, I wish to appeal to former President Obasanjo to come out openly to repeat what he has said, Whether or not he was misquoted or meant what was credited to him.
“Although he has not debunked what was reported, one can assume that what was quoted to have been said by him is correct, but if he fails to openly come out and say which is correct in 48 hours, you will hear the bombardment and I will have no option but to break the egg and tell the whole world and Nigerians who is Obasanjo.
“There is no doubt Obasanjo may still be angry with Atiku even after helping him to succeed but perhaps for truncating his third term agenda, in any case, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku is our presidential candidate and I can tell you for sure that he will be the President in 2023 Insha Allah.
“A high-powered reconciliatory committee would be constituted to meet Governor Nyesom Wike and appeal to him.
”Governor Wike is a great party man who fought for the party, when the committee is constituted, in which we will also bring other contestants together, we will go and meet with Governor Wike and appeal to him even if it means kneeling down to beg him.”
“It is our belief that in any contest, there will always be a winner and a loser and we must take whatever comes our way as the will of God who gives power to whatever he wishes at the time he wishes.
“Atiku is a great man, a man of honour and integrity who will lead Nigeria to greatness, we will bring our head down, in fact, very low and respect every Nigeria as a party and that is why we are calling on party members to be united to ensure that we win the next election. We must unite among ourselves and avoid speaking against ourselves in a manner that portrays the party in a bad light.
“We lost the Ekiti election because there was no unity among party members but we have learnt our lessons, that is why prominent persons have been appointed to handle the Osun election and I can tell you that Senator Ademola Adeleke will be the next governor of Osun State.
“The PDP is kicking very well and we will rule Nigeria again and do better. We will do all within our powers to ensure victory for Atiku and Okowa come 2023 Presidential elections,” he said.
It would be recalled that Obasanjo, on Saturday, said he has made several “genuine mistakes” in his life but God had helped him to overcome them.
According to the former President, his choice of number two was part of the genuine mistakes God had helped him to overcome, however, Obasanjo did not mention Atiku’s name throughout the interactive session with the students who participated in the final of the National Exhibition Awards, organised by Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE).
The former President and the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Atiku Abubakar were in office between 1999 and 2007.
