By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Erstwhile governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel on Friday held a closed door meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his Presidential Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital .
Daniel’s visit to Obasanjo was to consult and solicit the latter’s support ahead of the planned formal declaration of intention to run for the Office of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).
Daniel, who governed Ogun State for eight years on the platform of PDP, is expected to declare his intention for the PDP chairmanship position in Abuja next Wednesday .
Daniel would be contesting with some PDP bigwigs who are also aspiring to lead the former largest political party in Africa.
The Political warlords who are also running alongside with the Ogun State Former governor in the forthcoming Chairmanship contest include; former Deputy national Chairman ,Chief Bode George and the Chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi among others..
Daniel was in the residence of the ex- President with some of the party Chieftains who include, members of the Ogun State Caretaker Committee of the party led by its chairman Bar. Tunde Odanye, former State Chairman of PDP, Elder Joju Fadairo, former governorship aspirant , Kayode Amusan, former minister of steel, Sarafa Ishola, Director of Organization, Ogun PDP, Deji Kalejaiye among others, arrived Obasanjo’s home around 10:am and entered a closed door meeting him after about an hour of waiting.
Speaking with the former governor he said, “ The PDP Ogun state rejuvenated and we are led here today by the Caretaker Chairman, Bar. Tunde Odanye (Ogun state) to pay our respect to Baba and to let him know that the party has been rejuvenated, re organized and also ready to re-launch itself in a way that is unprecedented and that is why we are here.
“The important thing is that we are reunited . Before now there are number of divisions in the party but now, United we stand and through this we are sending a signal that we are taking over the administration in Ogun state and of cause in Nigeria in 2019”.
When asked of his Chairmanship ambition, Daniel stressed, ”Yes, I am consulting and Baba is one of the founding fathers of this great party, the only President we have for eight years in this part of the country so, we can’t move without him and it is important that we consult with him.
“There are no many challenges nor problems in the party, they call it internal democracy but in summary we just want to return the party back to the people and once we are able to do that, am sure that the people will take control.”
The Caretaker Chairman of PDP in Ogun state , also submitted , “The beauty of it is that we have matured politicians here and they understand the game. You know politics is the art of playing brinkmanship. You know where to stop but you pretend as if you’re not going to stop.
“So, we have about seven tendencies, I think six are back, totally on board as you might have noticed. We are working on the seventh.
“I think six out of seven gives us about 80 percent and we are going to 100 percent. As you might have noticed, we have come to see Baba. Baba has decided to be Baba of everybody and no longer baba of just one political party and we were able to get his blessings.
“We apologised for our past transgression. And he gave us his blessing and he gave us advice. He was one of those who wrote the book, probably he wrote the book himself. I don’t think we have too many Presidents on this side of the continent who have been both military and civilian President and did not transmute.
“ I think we are on our way. I do not want to take shot at the opposition without being prodded. But I assure you that PDP is the next party.”Odanye concluded. (Vanguard)