The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday said former President
Olusegun Obasanjo is yet to return to its fold almost four years after
quitting his membership of the party.
Kola Ologbondiyan, the
party’s National Publicity Secretary said the former president’s
endorsement of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presidential candidate
is not an indication that he has returned to the party.
He said if Obasanjo decides to join the PDP today, a new membership card will be issued to him immediately.
He
said the quest to remove President Muhammadu Buhari from office in 2019
through the ballot box transcends political parties, adding that
Nigerians from all walks of life are rallying behind the PDP having
realised that it is the veritable platform through which the mission can
be realised.
He said: “On the issue of giving former President
Olusegun Obasanjo a new party membership card, we are not there yet.
Former President Obasanjo said he is a statesman. And he has not
indicated his desire to return to our party. I am sure if he does it
today, he will be issued a party card immediately.
“The desire to
remove Buhari from power is a pan-Nigerian movement. Many Nigerians
from all walks of life are eager to remove him from office because of
his incompetence and because his presidency has failed Nigerians.
“So,
the decision has no party bearing. It is a pan-Nigerian movement but
because the task can only be achieved through a political party and
because the PDP has repositioned itself, having being rebranded and
reformed, Nigerians are rallying across party lines to our party in
order to remove President Muhammadu Buhari from power through the ballot
box,” he said.
Obasanjo, it will be recalled, in February 2015
handed over his PDP membership card to the Ward 11 leader in Abeokuta
North local government, Alhaji Surajudeen Oladunjoye and instructed him
to tear it.
