Obasanjo Hosts ADC Leaders, Says Global Attention on Nigeria

•Party to announce possible alignment in next 72 hours

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Barely two weeks to the presidential election, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, hosted a closed-door meeting with the national leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who came to seek his advice on the forthcoming election.

Led by its National Chairman, Chief Ralp Nwosu and Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Mani Ibrahim, the team, which included all members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), said not only the ADC that was at a crossroads but Nigeria as a whole.

In a brief remark that preceded the closed door meeting, held at the Penthouse of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Obasanjo said the global community, particularly, the West African countries of Ghana, Togo and Cote d’Ivoire, were seriously concerned about what will be the outcome of the forthcoming election.

Obasanjo, who just returned from an official engagement in West African tour, emphatically declared that Nigerians must strive towards giving their best and ensuring that the forthcoming general election held.

He said some stakeholders, had suspended their activities in the sub-regional organisation, until after the Nigerian election.

“As you rightly said, we are in a critical period in Nigeria. In less than three weeks, we will be going to the poll to elect our leaders that will pilot the affairs of this country for the next four years from May and I hope nothing intervenes.

“I have been in Togo, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire from the beginning of the week and from there, they are concerned about what happens in Nigeria as every Nigerian knows. Before I left Abidjan, President Alassane Quattara of Cote d’Ivoire was telling me about a position that Cote d’Ivoire is fighting for and he told me that, ‘we are putting it on hold until after Nigeria’s elections’.

“So, even for them, Nigeria’s elections is of utmost importance. My belief is that for us, who are directly involved, we cannot take it any less important. Therefore, I understand why you are here. Your party is one of the most important political parties in this country, today, and it doesn’t matter how things are. Therefore, I understand why you’re here.

“You’re also here as a family. We are all in Nigeria, we are a family and therefore, when we gather together, we can always discuss as members of the same Nigerian family. But what is of concern to Nigeria and on that note, we will now go on and talk as a member of the Nigerian family.”

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Mani said the ADC leadership, visited Obasanjo, to consult him  on alignment and realignment, that would happen, before the end of this month.

Mani, who said the period for merger among political parties was over according the the Electoral Act, added that the ADC, would come up with its decision in the next 48 to 72 hours.

He said, “The time stipulated  for merger by the provision of the Electoral Act, had expired. What we can do is collaboration. We have not come for a definite position but our party is looking for the way forward. We are still consulting and within the next 48 to 72 hours, we should come out clearly.”