Former President Olusegun Obasanjohas refuted claims that he is not in good terms with President Goodluck Jonathan.
This is following comments made by the Ijaw leader and elder statesman, Edwin Clark in the media recently that Obasanjo is sowing seeds of discord in the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).
On behalf of the former president, his Chief of Staff, Victor Durotola, has refuted claims that Obasanjo is not in good terms with president Goodluck Jonathan.
Durodola also noted that Durotola noted that Clark’s utterances showed that he was the one due to quit politics when the latter noted that obasanjo was due to quit politics
Clark had said in a newspaper recently, accusing Obasanjo of sowing seeds of discord in the Peoples Democratic Party, that Obasanjo is due to resign from politics and urging him to retire.
“Just to clarify things, Obasanjo is not quarreling with Jonathan. They talk; they interact; they meet; they travel together. The fact is that he (Obasanjo) likes to express himself, and he believes in democracy.
Durotola however has said in the media that Clark’s allegations are baseless since he(Clark) failed to present evidences to back up his allegation that the former president prompted Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State to contest in 2015 presidential polls, hences causing crisis in the PDP.
“Edwin Clark, you can see from all his utterances that he is actually the one who should go and sit down. He should not be involved in politics, he should be a leader. But if he is involved in politics, that is okay for him. The fact is that there is nothing he is saying now that he has not said before. Baba would not join issues with someone like Edwin Clark; he wouldn’t. He ought to have provided evidence, instead of making general pronouncements.”
“Usually, Baba will not dignify such a comment with a response. If he says somebody is sponsoring Governor Rotimi Amaechi, what evidence has he provided? If you have a son and he is not in good terms with your friend, will you kill your son so that your friend will know that you are his friend? That is not the way to live life. The best an elder can do is to try and settle quarrels, if there are any. Remember he (Obasanjo) is an elder statesman, a former President.
“Obasanjo believed that democracy meant Amaechi, Lamido or any Nigerian, had the right to contest any office they choose”, Durodola added.
He said, “Are Lamido and Amaechi not Nigerians? Are they not eligible? Is Clark himself not eligible? What is wrong with somebody contesting? There is democracy. There should be no seal. Whoever wants to contest should be free to contest. Let the primary election determine who should be the candidate of the party. Everybody should be free to contest, including Clark. He is an elder statesman, he should know that this idea of because somebody is interested in contesting, then he becomes an enemy, is not the way of civilisation. Democracy means freedom for everybody.”
He insisted that contrary to popular opinion, Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan were in good terms.
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