By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The chairman of Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen Walid Jibrin has asked former President Olusegun Obasanjo to clarify his recent comments on regretting picking the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubabar, as his vice president in 1999.
While addressing a leadership mentoring session with selected students in Abeokuta, Ogun state, on Saturday, Obasanjo said picking a running mate when he wanted to become Nigeria’s president in 1999 is one of the mistakes in his life.
“One thing that has happened to me is that God has never disappointed me and that is very important. For instance, one of the mistakes I made was picking a number two when I was going to become president,” Obasanjo said.
Atiku was vice president during the Obasanjo’s administration between 1999 and 2007.
Speaking at a media briefing in Kaduna State on Monday, Jibrin asked Obasanjo to clarify his statement within 48 hours.
“Our attention has been drawn to a statement said to have been made by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria, that it was a mistake for him to have appointed Atiku Abubakar as the vice president in 1999,” he said.
The BoT chairman noted that although Obasanjo did not specifically mention Atiku’s name, the report of what he told his audience was such that he was referring to the former vice president.
“Obasanjo should come out and clarify the statement, whether he was misquoted or he meant what he said.
“It is when he makes that clarification that the PDP will officially reply him.
“One can assume that what he said may be correct, but we want to give him time up till tomorrow (Tuesday) or next (Wednesday). If he comes out to say he had been misquoted or he meant what he said on Atiku, you will hear the bombardment and I will break the egg.
“I will also tell Nigerians and the whole world who Obasanjo is, how Atiku assisted him to rule Nigeria, and how Atiku refused his third term ambition.
“It is, therefore, very important that we hear from Obasanjo openly,” he said.
