2015: Obasanjo meets Mark, Tinubu, Ladoja, Oni. Read Why

The Abeokuta Hill Top home of former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was yesterday a beehive of political consultations between him and several other key players across the political divide. At the consultations were Senate President David Mark of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu, and APC leader in the South Segun Oni, as well as Senator Rasheed Ladoja of the Accord Party (AP). Also in attendance were Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State; PDP Women Leader, Mrs Josephine Anehih and Senator Polycarp Nwite, all of whom were on Mark’s entourage. But it was Ladoja who first met with Obasanjo. After him were Tinubu and Oni . Their meeting ended at about 2.25 pm and they departed immediately. Mark and his team turned up moments later and left about an hour later at 3.55 pm. Speaking to reporters at the end of his meeting with Obasanjo, Mark said it was all about “the party (PDP) and other national issues.” He said they wanted to ensure reconciliation within PDP, particularly in the Ogun State chapter of the party, so that “everybody should be brought on board.” The Senate President said the fact that Obasanjo’s home plays host to politicians from different parties same day attested to his being the “father of the nation.” Tinubu on the other hand said he was in the ex- president’s home to share ideas with him in connection with his (Obasanjo) “former boys” who are now aspiring to run for elective positions on the platform of the APC in 2015 general elections. On the state of the nation, Tinubu described Nigeria at 54 as an “invalid child in an incubator.” He asked Nigerians to rescue the country from its “bad managers” and the spell of “clueless leaders.” “Nigerians have a decision to make to rescue the country from mismanagement or replace the clueless leaders. We must take our country back from bad managers,” he said. “There are a lot of projects about this country. We cannot know it all. We need to consult. Equally, we take observation of his former boys who are running for Presidency in our party. What can he say about them. “I have gone too far to tell you why we are here. I have been nice enough to tell you. I would not tell you what the discussion is about ,but you are privileged to have heard why I am here. The end discussion, I will not tell you. “Your assumption will be yours, he (Obasanjo) is a card carrying member of PDP. So let him remain so. “We are still an invalid baby in the incubator. That is the truth. We are blessed with human capital. We have not developed it. Every Nigerian needs good education. Today, it has not been developed. “Today, we are being relegated from the high class of Oxford, Cambridge and other best universities in the world. We have been relegated to the Third Class. “You have information technology that has taken the rest of the world faster. Infrastructure that will make a distance between Ibadan and Lagos shorter, enjoyable and tourist facilities. What’s our pride? All these are not available here, pipe borne water is not available. “On the leaders, we don’t have good leaders. The leaders are clueless, the followers appear sadistic. We like being punished, because if you work for an honest system, I don’t see why a president will remove subsidy on onshore and wins an election in the second week. “To me, there is need for a common sense revolution; common sense revolution of security overhaul, army we use to respect and also respect the people. Common sense revolution in job creation, better condition of living for everybody.”