I’ve been running away from a mad man, says Obasanjo as he finally leaves PDP

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday gave up his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) membership card at his Abeokuta home, saying he no longer belongs to any party.

He scoffed at the rumoured plan to expel him from the party, saying: “We’ve been trying to run away from a mad man but he pleads we wait for him at the other side of the river.”

PDP members from his ward, led by Sunmonu Oladunjoye, said they had come to confirm if Obasanjo had been expelled from the party because of his public criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Contrary to earlier reports, it was Oladunjoye himself that tore the card after Obasanjo had handed it over to him in protest.

Responding to their question, Obasanjo said Nigeria belongs to all and must not be allowed to collapse.

He said: “Where I am standing is that Nigeria belongs to everybody including babies. We must not allow anybody to destroy it wherever they come from, whatever they have, if they destroy it, it becomes our burden, to our children and incoming generation.”

He said his new political party is the group that says “Nigeria must not be destroyed”, adding: “Those of you that are marketers must have observed that there’s inflation in the market. The bureau de change operators exchanged $1 to N150 sometime ago. Before you know it,  it is going to be N250 to a $1.

“What it means is that, what you’ve been buying for N150 will be bought for N250. This is not the kind of country we dreamed of. There’s no job, no employment and some people have started destroying Nigeria and I will never be in a party that will destroy Nigeria.

“Perhaps, you don’t understand that it is because there’s Nigeria that is why PDP exists. Without Nigeria, there will be no PDP. ‎What some of us should be concerned is how to make Nigeria stronger and make our economy witness growth.

“They said they want to expel me from PDP… although I have not been told but I have my ears on ground. We’ve been trying to run away from a mad man but he pleads we wait for him at the other side of the river.

“I have told you before that I became president on the platform of PDP. Once I leave PDP I will not join any party. I‎ will only be a Nigerian. I am ready to work with anybody regardless of political affiliation.

“Why would some people say they want to send me away. They don’t need to bother themselves. Here’s your membership card, take it.”

He handed the card to Oladunjoye, who then tore it to pieces.

Obasanjo continued: ‎”From today on, in the presence of all us and with your support I am not going to be in any political party in Nigeria. I am no more a politician but a statesman both internally and externally. ‎

“And on the day of election, whatever it takes the PVC must be obtained… you don’t need to be a politician before you get your PVC. On the day of election, you can vote for your choice, but I will vote for those who will repair Nigeria and not those who will destroy it.‎”

Obasanjo had in the past said he would not leave the PDP, but he has been embroiled in a public face-off with Jonathan in the last two years.

He resigned as the chairman of the board of trustees (BoT) after the party’s constitution was amended under late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to allow anyone who was not a former president to be chairman.

The existing rule then, introduced as Obasanjo was leaving power in 2007, was that only a former president elected on the platform of the party could be BoT chairman — automatically conferring the title on Obasanjo.

Last Saturday, Obasanjo accused the president of attempting to plunge the country into crisis.

“President Jonathan has a grand plan to ensure that he wins the election by hook or crook and if he loses, he scuttles it and brings chaos and confusion in the whole country,” he had said.

“He is trying to play Gbagbo, who postponed election in his country until he saw that he would win. When election finally held, it was inconclusive and he refused to hand over after losing the run-off.”

Reuben Abati, presidential spokesman, alleged on Saturday that Obasanjo was plotting a political crisis in the country in order to head an interim national government.