I Remain A Statesman; I Am Partyless – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said he remains a ‘party-less Nigerian’ and will continue to be a statesman.

He said this on Monday at his Abeokuta Hilltop residence when a delegation from Kogi State, led by the state Governor, Captain Idris Wada (retd.), paid him a courtesy call.

The former President, who was the a chairman, Board of Trustees, Peoples Democratic Party, said despite not playing active partisan politics anymore, he would continue to work with any Nigerian with capabilities of good intention and leadership traits.

Obasanjo publicly tore his PDP membership card in February this year to renounce his membership of the then ruling party.

He noted that personality and performance would normally rank above the party platform.

He said, “We should understand first that not the party makes the person, but the person makes the party. It is who you are that you bring into the party.

“For now, I remain a partyless Nigerian, but I will continue to welcome any Nigerian with good leadership qualities.

“It does not matter which party you are, either PDP, APC, Labour, APGA or any party at all; as long as you are a committed, sincere and a purposeful leader, I am ready for you.”

Obasanjo, who commended Wada for engendering peace in Kogi State, said he was providing purposeful leadership.

He said, “Everybody is welcome, but they must be with good leadership traits, with genuine intention to improve the country.”

Wada described Obasanjo as a father of the nation, stressing that those who believed in him, would continue to learn from his commitment and dedication to the growth of the country.

The governor added, “Everywhere we meet Baba, we learn a lot and we shall continue to learn from him. He is a father of the nation. He is a figure we admire.

“We pray that we all will be like him because he is a committed Nigerian, who has devoted himself to the growth of the country. So, why not, if some of us decide to emulate him, be with him and appreciate him?”