‘Mu’azu’s peace talks with Obasanjo failed’

Investigations on Thursday showed that Obasanjo insisted when the new PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu visited him on January 26, that Jonathan  must  honour his alleged promise in 2011 not to contest the 2015 presidential election.

A very reliable  PDP national officer  confided in  The PUNCH that  Obasanjo also  gave  other conditions that the new leadership of the party must meet before he would have a change of mind.

 They include the restructuring of the party as well as   the correction of the  anomalies relating to the removal of Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the national secretary of the PDP  and Bode Mustapha  as  national auditor in early 2013.

 Mu’azu was reported to have, during the closed-door meeting  in Abeokuta,    pleaded with the former President to back the President’s alleged 2015 interest  and other activities of the ruling party.

 Our source said  that  Obasanjo  told Mu’azu  bluntly  to address  the issues he raised in his December 2, 2013  and January 7, 2014   letters to President Goodluck Jonathan and  a former PDP National Chairman, Dr. Bamanga  Tukur.

The PDP  source, who confided in The PUNCH,  said although the party had not given up on efforts to ensure total reconciliation of Obasanjo and Jonathan, as of  now,  it (PDP) had not succeeded.

 He said, “Baba (Obasanjo) is still insisting on issues he raised in his two letters, particularly the restructuring of the party.

  He had said that he would withdraw from the party’s activities, until grievances he mentioned in the letter to Tukur were addressed.

 It  was gathered that  PDP leaders were divided over  Oyinlola’s return as the national secretary of the party.

Some members of the National Working Committee  are    said  to be uncomfortable with the idea.

 Mu’azu  met with Oyinlola  at his residence in Abuja few days ago as part of the reconciliation process going on in the party.

 The meeting between  them was a follow- up to the  Obasanjo-Mu’azu parley.

A Presidency source, who pleaded anonymity, told one of our correspondents on Thursday, that the President was not losing sleep over Mu’azu’s visit to Obasanjo.

He said, “As far as the meeting between the PDP chairman and the former President is concerned, we are playing politics.

“We know our friends and we know our enemies. In politics, you don’t befriend your friend alone, you also befriend your enemies but the visit was politics.”

When contacted, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, said Jonathan was favourably disposed to any move that would restore total reconciliation to the party.

On its part, the PDP said the peace mission embarked upon by its national chairman   was beginning to yield positive results.