SDP’s chairman and former SGF Olu Falae has explained the purpose of his visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta Tuesday.
According to him, he came visiting Obasanjo for the first time in 19 years to discuss Nigeria’s affairs.
The meeting lasted for two hours behind closed doors at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, at exactly 2.25pm.
Falae described Obasanjo as his former boss, and emphasised that the affairs of Nigeria are greater than anybody’s political ambition.
“I am here to visit Papa Olusegun Obasanjo, former head of military government and former President of Nigeria who was my boss when I was the permanent secretary at the presidency,” he said.
“The affairs of Nigeria are greater than the political ambition of anybody. So I came here to exchange views with Baba.”
The exchange no doubt centred on how to ease out the present administartion President Muhammadu Buhari heads, which they believe has not lived up to the mark.
But Falae was not as aggressive as many had expected him to be while fielding questions from journalists after the meeting.
“President Buhari is my friend,” he said, making it ckear he was not taking it personally.
“Once upon a time, you will recall that I raised his hand at the Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan, asking people to vote for him because he said he would restructure.”
Falae, however, said since Buhari has failed in providing security for Nigeria, which is a fundamental duty of any government, he should not seek another term.
“What I am taking away from here is a confirmation on the fact that most Nigerians are united in wanting a change for the better and in doing whatever is possible to ease out President Buhari for his own sake and for the sake of Nigeria.”
The two Yoruba leaders have been on the trot since President Buhari declared his intention to contest in 2019, against Obasanjo’s advice and opposition.
In the deepening conspiracy against the ruling APC, Obasanjo and Falae, both former political enemies, are joining forces to dislodge Buhari come 2019.
Obasanjo’s Coalition for Nigeria Movement, a non-partisan platform, will be working with Falae’s SDP to produce the third force the former president boasted of in his 13-page open letter he fired at Buhari months ago.