Obasanjo dumps PDP, as party expelled him two-hours-after

The torn membership card

 Former President Olusegun Obasanjo after months of speculations has finally dumped the PDP.

 

Just two hours after he announced that he was dumping the PDP, the Ogun state PDP executive Council head by Chief Adebayo Dayo expelled him from the party over what he termed as “series of unabated anti-party activities’’. 

The former President was hosting the executive and members of the party from Ward 11, Abeokuta North at his Hilltop residence when he announced that he was dumping the PDP.  He said to the ward Chairman, Alhaji Usman Oladunjoye during their fact finding mission to the Hilltop residence of the former president to verify reports on a plot to suspend him from the PDP.

 

After he had thanked them for their concern and narrated how the Goodluck Jonathan administration had almost run the country aground, he said, “They said they want to expel me from the PDP, although I have not been told that; I have my ears   to the ground.

“We have been trying to run away from a mad man but he pleads we wait for him at the other side of the river.

“I have told you before that I became President on the platform of the PDP and once I leave the party, I will not join any other party.

“I will only be a Nigerian, I am ready to work with anybody regardless of political affiliation. Why would some people say they want to send me away.

“They don’t need to bother themselves, here’s your membership card, take it (at this point, he gave the card to Oladunjoye to tear).

As Oladunjoye stood up and tore the card, with Obasanjo watching him closely, the visitors rose from their seats,   raised their hands and danced in support of his action.

After the pieces of the card were handed to some of the visitors, Obasanjo   said, “From today on, in the presence of all of us and with your support, I am not going to be in any political party in Nigeria.

“I am no more a politician but a statesman, both internally and externally.

“You asked me two questions and I will answer them comprehensively. But before I answer them let me say this. This Nigeria belongs to all of us and it must not be destroyed.

“This is my PDP membership card, where I’m standing is that Nigeria belongs to everybody, including babies. We must not allow anybody to destroy it.

“Wherever they come from, whatever they have and if they destroy it, it becomes a burden to us,   our children and the incoming generation.

“The question asked is which party am I? I belong to the group that believes that Nigeria must not be destroyed. Those of you that are traders, will observe that there’s inflation in the country . The Bureau de Change operators used to   change a $1 for N150 but     it is going to be N250 to a dollar.

“What it means is that, what you’ve been buying for N150 will sell for N250. This is not the kind of country we dream of. There’s no job; no money.

“It is unfortunate that those destroying the country are oblivious of the fact that the PDP exists because Nigeria still exists.

“I will never be in a party that will destroy Nigeria.   Without Nigeria, there will be no PDP. What should be of   concern to us is how to make Nigeria stronger by making our economy grow .”

Obasanjo,who joined the PDP in 1998, also debunked the allegation that he wanted to head an Interim National   Government.