2019: Buhari Was A Big Mistake, I Promise Not To Fool Nigerians Again - Obasanjo Weeps

The on-going political permutation and plans to unseat President Muhammadu Buhari, has taken a new twist, as ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, has expressed his regret on his stance in the 2015 General Election, and pledged not to repeat the mistake ahead of 2019.

Obasanjo, stated this recently, when he was approached to lend his support to the new proposed mega party, by some group of politicians, who had paid him a visit in his Hilltop mansion.

The group had revealed that their candidate was former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar.

According to a source who was conversant with the outcome of the meeting with the former President, he said, “He (Obasanjo) addressed the group that met with him, informing them that he had made too many mistakes in his life, and for the nation, including the blanket support he claimed to have given to Buhari, and therefore, was not prepared to make any more mistakes.”

The source told Thisday Newspaper, that the former President, said that although he was quick to support the APC, however, he was not as quick to support Buhari’s bid to become President in 2015, because he had reservations about his capacity to lead the country.

However, because the APC to which he had declared his support had also settled for Buhari, he had no option than to tag along.

Given the current state of the nation, and political developments, he informed his guests that it would be foolhardy of him to rush into taking yet another critical decision, especially on the Presidency of the country.

The source said: “Before the December 2014 Congress of the APC, where Buhari was picked as the Presidential candidate of the party, he informed (Rotimi) Amaechi and others, not to back Buhari, because he lacks the capacity to run the country.

“He told them to vote for (Rabiu) Kwankwaso, but his advise was ignored, and now Nigerians are suffering for it, so he does not want to make the same mistake again, by backing the wrong person for Presidency, come 2019.”

Still on the Atiku matter, the source hinted that some of the decision makers in the country, a majority of them retired Military Officers, already share Obasanjo’s view, and might follow through with him.

Though, the National Leader of the APC, Ashiwaju Bola Tinubu, had denied attempting to form a mega party, and endorsing Atiku.

However, clearing the doubts on the denial, the PDP source said it was expected, since most people would at the moment distance themselves from any involvement in the new party, because of the timing.

“It is important that they all lay low, until the timing is right, so that people are not framed, and thrown into the goal for pursuing an agenda different from theirs,” he said.

In the same breath, a source close to Atiku, had also denied his involvement in any shape or form, in the proposed mega party, saying the concern of the former Vice President, was in the success of Buhari, and would not do anything inimical to the collective interest and ideology of the ruling party.

He said, “I think we should ignore those who out of self-interest are trying to drive a wedge between the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and his party, the APC.

“Right now, our nation needs unity of purpose, not political brinkmanship; we are facing formidable economic and structural challenges, and we should focus on fixing the many things that prevent us from unleashing our economic and entrepreneurial potential, instead of pretending that a little political theatre will magically make things work,” the source said.