Why I visited Obasanjo – Tinubu

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday held a closed-door meeting with former president Olusegun Obasanjo at the latter’s penthouse residence within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

At the end of the meeting, which lasted about three hours, Tinubu was unable to address journalists because of the crowd.

He thereafter proceeded to the MKO Abiola International Stadium to address the party chieftains.

After pronouncing blessings on the APC members at the stadium, Tinubu told them that it was not yet time for campaigns.

The presidential candidate said he was in Ogun to greet them and the people of the state.

He also acknowledged the “good works” of the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, and the support people of the state had continued to give to him.

“May God bless you and your family. I am glad with the good works that the governor is doing; I am glad with all the supports that you are giving.

“The campaign has not started yet. I am just here to greet you and to say hello to you.

“May God bless Ogun; May God bless Nigeria and May God bless your children,” he said.

Recall that Obasanjo and Tinubu had been at loggerheads since the former, as the then president, withheld the local government allocation for Lagos State when the latter was the state governor.

Earlier this year, the former Lagos governor was at the former president’s 78th birthday.

In 2013, Mr Tinubu had also visited Obasanjo, to appeal that he joins the party.

On 5 March, while Tinubu was attending Mr Obasanjo’s 78th birthday lecture in Abeokuta, he said his altercations with the former president re-shaped his life positively.

Those who had earlier arrived at Obasanjo’s residence on Wednesday included Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun; former Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel; former governor and national leader of the party, Olusegun Osoba; former Ogun central senator, Gbenga Obadare; Olubara of Ibara, Jacob Omolade; and other APC leaders in the state.

Those who accompanied Tinubu include the House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila; APC national leader, Bisi Akande; pioneer Chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu; among others.

While the meeting was on-going, hundreds of APC supporters sang and danced outside Mr Obasanjo’s home.