The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to former president, Olusegun Obasanjo over comments that he made mistake when he picked his Vice President in 1999.
Obasanjo had over the weekend said he made a mistake in the choice of his number two ahead of the 1999 presidential election, an apparent reference to Atiku Abubakar, who was vice president from 1999 to 2007.
Obasanjo was elected as president in 1999, along with the current PDP presidential candidate, Abubakar, as the vice-president.
Both men had rifts, notably in the lead up to the 2003 PDP presidential primary when Atiku was said to have planned to run for president, but subsequently opted out.
The former President, who did not mention Atiku in his statement, said it was a mistake he made in good faith, but was saved by God.
But the PDP is not taking Obasanjo’s comment lightly, and has threatened to expose the character of the former President should he fail to clarify his statement within 48 hours.
Adressing a news conference in Kaduna on Monday, Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustee, 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 Abubakar for truncating his third term agenda despite the latter’s contribution to the Obasanjo administration.
“I wish to appeal to former President Obasanjo to come out openly to repeat what he has said,” Jibril 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 Atuku is our presidential candidate and I can tell you for sure that he will be the President in 2023 insha Allah.”
On the the outcome of the Presidential primaries and subsequent picking of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as running mate of Atiku which may have angered Governor Nyesom Wike, the BoT Chairman disclosed that a high powered reconciliatory committee is soon to be constituted to meet Governor 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,” he said.