2019 elections: What Obasanjo told PDP leaders

Olusegun Obasanjo

Former president, Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday urged leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pay attention to issues that were needed to restore the party as a party of good image, discipline, commitment, leadership and moral principles.

The was contained in a statement on Saturday by Kehinde Akinyemi, the ex-president’s spokesman.

Obasanjo spoke when the party’s national chairman, Uche Secondus, led a 21-member delegation of the party’s National Working Committee on a courtesy call on him

On the coalition for 2019 being championed by the PDP, Obasanjo advised that the coalition should remain an alliance as being projected and not a merger.

“The MoU for grand alliance is what it says, a grand alliance. It is neither a merger nor absorption of any political party by any political party.

“It is clear for the parties which agreed to be members of the alliance to work together to achieve one important common objective at the national level for the election of 2019.

“Where it is appropriate and necessary, members may also form alliance and co-operation at the state level.

“The individuality and independence of each political party must be observed and respected by all parties concerned.

“It is also desirable that in the process of implementing the MoU to achieve the set objective, solidarity and focus on the objective must be maintained.

“Each member political party must be cautious of fake news, rumours, blackmail, and seeds of discord that may be sown among them from external quarters,” Akinyemi quoted Obasanjo as saying.

He said the former president at the meeting reiterated that he had quit partisan politics, but would continue to make himself available to guide any party that so desired.

Akinyemi, however, maintained that his principal would prioritise his service to the African Democratic Congress, ADC.