Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has pledged to support any presidential candidate capable of leading the country to the ‘promised land’.
Obasanjo, who added his voice to the unfolding political events in the country yesterday, made the assertion in Abeokuta, Ogun State, when former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs and a presidential hopeful, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, visited him.
A former governor of Adamawa State and his campaign coordinator, Boni Haruna, accompanied Turaki to the former president’s home.
Obasanjo insisted that he would not rest until Nigeria’s fortunes turn around for good, even as he identified dearth of quality leadership as one of the major challenges confronting the nation.
He called for concerted efforts from the political class to provide the country better leadership, adding: “What is happening here today particularly gladdens my heart.
“You are stabilising Nigeria’s democracy. Democracy is not a destination but a journey and there is no nation that can claim to have reached the final destination.
“It is good for us as a nation and our democracy. We have identified a lot of things about what we need to put right as a country. What we lack and why are we not where we should be.
“We are so divided today more than ever before. People are deprived socially and economically. But I have never lost hope. The reasons are many but one of them is why we are here today.”
Speaking, Turaki noted that he and his team came to pay respect to Obasanjo to intimate him of his presidential ambition in 2019, stressing: “The indivisibility of the country remains non-negotiable.”
He said the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government was incapable of resolving Nigeria’s many challenges.
“This meeting is a very fruitful one. We have discussed openly, honestly and frankly about the current situation in this country and like always, Baba (Obasanjo) offered us tremendous guidance.
“He has spoken in his vintage way of speaking passionately about the situation in the country. We believe that our indivisibility as one and united nation is given and non-negotiable. We feel that our unity is also non-negotiable.
“But within the parameters of living and staying as the plural, multi-ethnic and complex country that God has brought together, we must learn to respect each others’ feelings,” he stated.
Turaki stressed that politicians must work towards ensuring that government performs its minimum obligation that citizens expect, which is the protection of lives and property of Nigerians.
“And that is why we feel that failing to do so, the APC administration has now placed Nigerians in a very sorry situation. There is insecurity everywhere; lack of unity; despondency; hunger and poverty and we feel we will be of assistance,” he added.
