PDP can dethrone ACN in Lagos – Obasanjo

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo  Wednesday told members of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State that for them to make any meaningful impact in the state, they must be united. Obasanjo, who spoke in Abeokuta, was of the view that with the present division among the party members in Lagos State, there was no way they could snatch the governorship seat, which was their ultimate aim, from the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
The former president spoke when the PDP executives in Lagos paid him a courtesy visit at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
“For us to achieve our aim in Lagos State, our party leaders in the state need to sink their ego and sacrifice their individual interests for the general interest of the party.”
The former Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) told his visitors, “if only the leaders will sink their ego and regard the party’s interest as supreme and above that of individuals, then the party will come out strong and be able to wrestle power from the ruling party.”
The elder statesman, who described PDP as a party in wilderness in Lagos State, noted that leaders of the party needed to work together to build PDP so as to restore it to the right path. Obasanjo was optimistic that if the leaders and members of the party could be united, they would “capture” power from the ACN.
Obasanjo expressed appreciation to the PDP leaders who commiserated with him on the recent fire incident in his house which he described as “minor’’. He thanked God for confining the fire to his secretary’s office and also preventing any loss of life. To him, Nigerians had every reason to be thankful to God for the 2012 “notwithstanding some unfortunate incidents” and expressed optimism that the nation would experience transformation in the New Year.
Addressing newsmen after the meeting, Chairman of Lagos State PDP, Mr. Tunji Shelle stated that the purpose of their visit were three-fold. “We are in Abeokuta to commiserate with Obasanjo over the fire incident and to rejoice with him over the New Year as well as to receive counsel and his blessings for our party,” Shelle said.
The chairman, who described Obasanjo’s counsel as priceless, added that the meeting was a success.
“Baba’s advice is invaluable and we are going back to Lagos as a happy family. We are returning to Lagos to build our party on the platform of his advice in order to re-launch it into recognition.”