Posted by By MURPHY GANAGANA, Abuja on
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday in Benin, Edo State, declared that only the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could oust him as the Chairman of the party's Board of Trustees (BOT).
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday in Benin, Edo State, declared that only the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could oust him as the Chairman of the party's Board of Trustees (BOT).
Besides, he said that he was not aware of the factional crisis in the Edo State chapter of the party, as he was yet to be told of it by the governor, Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor or the chairman of the party in the state, Prince Solomon Aguele.
Obasanjo fielded questions from newsmen at the residence of the two-time governor of the old Bendel State, Dr Samuel Ogbemudia and at the state's Government House, shortly after he arrived from Asaba, Delta state.
He said 'my chairmanship position of the Board of Trustees of the PDP is a constitutional issue, I have no power over it and nobody else has power over it excerpt the constitution".
On the crisis in the state PDP, he said: ' Well, I do not know; you are just telling me. As far as I know, the two people I will ask what is happening in the state PDP is the party's chairman, Prince Solomon Aguele, and the Governor and they have not told me about any faction in the party.
'And in the same way, probably if you want to know the health of the PDP in the country, you ask the National Chairman of the party, you will ask the President, who is the leader of the party and probably, you may ask the chairman of the Board of Trustees and whatever they tell you, you may take it or if you wish, you may not take it.
"This is part of democracy. In a democracy, if you have hundred people and all the hundred people are always on the same line, then that is not democracy. So, disagreement is normal in every democracy but the most important thing is the ability to settle the problem. What should be paramount to everybody is the common good of the state. Not personal interest but the interest of the generality of the people of the state," the ex-President explained.
Commenting on the performance of Governor Osunbor, Obasanjo said: 'the governor, from all indications, is doing very well. Everybody should give him the support as the leader of the party and head of government in the state. I have seen all the developmental efforts of the governor and it is quite encouraging and I want to enjoin him to keep it up. 'All stakeholders should also ensure that we have a peaceful and harmonious congress in the state so that we can have a formidable party," he further enjoined.
Responding, Osunbor described Chief Obasanjo as a visionary leader who contributed immensely to the development of democracy in the country, saying that because of his efforts while in government, Nigerians are no longer treated as second class citizens in other parts of the world.