2015 Elections: Don’t Field An ‘Unclean Vessel’, Obasanjo Tells APC

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo may have advised the All Progressives Congress ( APC) not to field his former subordinate, former Vice-president Abubakar Atiku as its flagbearer in the 2015 General Elections.

This is one of the discussion from the visit of the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the private residence of the former president. It was said Baba had warned the opposition party against fielding an “unclean vessel” as its presidential candidate in 2015.

According to an impeccable source, who was at the meeting said last week’s visit by Tinubu to Obasanjo was meant to remind the former President of the need to support the APC to realise its ambition of winning next year’s presidential election.

The source said, “Chief Obasanjo appreciated Tinubu’s visit to his home, but specifically warned the APC to shut its door against “unclean vessel,” in apparent reference to Atiku

“Chief Obasanjo reiterated his refusal to join the APC when Tinubu visited him in his Abeokuta residence, but warned the party to beware of Atiku.

“The former President appreciated the move by the APC to find out what he knew about two of the APC aspirants seeking the party’s presidential ticket. He was happy that the party consulted him over whom to pick as its presidential candidate. The former President gave detailed information on the APC presidential aspirants to Tinubu.”

But in a swift reaction, Atiku’s media aide, Garba Shehu, said he was not aware of such comments by Obasanjo against the former vice-president.

Shehu, who said that Atiku had consulted relevant stakeholders on his plan to become Nigeria’s president next year, said, “You can quote me; we are not in any way aware of such comment. What I can say is that the former vice-president has written a letter to his former boss, respectfully informing him of his wish to bid for the APC ticket.” He also said that Atiku had sent similar letters to other Nigerians.

“These letters, which were personally signed, had gone to thousands of other Nigerians, including politicians, traditional and religious leaders as well as friendly-diplomatic missions.”

Tinubu had told journalists that he had discussion with Obasanjo on “some of his former boys” who would vie for elective positions in the 2015 general elections, especially the Presidency.

He had said, “We are here to pay homage to our former President and discuss with him because he has a number of influences in the political sphere.

“We need to talk to find out his thinking about Nigeria and the future. We need to seek his observation on some of his former boys who are running for Presidency in our party.”

There are underground moves by the former president would support APC in its bid to win next year’s presidential election. It was gathered that Obasanjo did not need to defect to the opposition party before he could support it to win the poll.

Though the APC spokesperson, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said that he was not fully privy to the topic of discussion between Obasanjo and Tinubu, he said that if the party leader had gone to visit the former President, it was about how the former president could help the opposition party win in the 2015 general elections.

He said, “I am not fully aware of what they (Obasanjo and Tinubu) discussed. But of course, did you expect they would discuss church matters? Clearly if he went to visit Obasanjo, it had to be about politics and the party. What else would you expect them to talk about?

“That would not be the first time the party chieftains would meet with the former President. There is no secret about it. We want the party to win in next year’s elections. That is it.”

When asked whether the former President might defect to the APC to help the party achieve its goal, Mohammed said, “Obasanjo does not need to defect to the APC before he could help the party.

“The former President needs not declare openly or defect to our party before he can help us. Someone went to visit him, he was chased out; Asiwaju Tinubu went to visit him and he was entertained. What are you talking about? What does that tell you?”

Obasanjo had in 2013 embraced the APC when some of the party’s national leaders and governors elected on its platform visited him in Abeokuta.

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