National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC,
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has described former
President Olusegun Obasanjo as a teacher of dignity and
boldness.
Tinubu revealed that during the period when he, as
governor of Lagos State, and the former president had
political differences, Obasanjo constantly kept him on
his toes.
Tinubu, who also described Obasanjo as a true
nationalist, disclosed that he got to later know that all
that transpired between them was done out of passion
for perfection by the former president and not
sentiments.
The APC leader spoke yesterday while giving a goodwill
message during the 78th birthday ceremony of the
former president, which was held at the Olusegun
Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL, Abeokuta, Ogun
State.
"I am honoured to be here to celebrate with our 'Papa'.
It is just a rare opportunity to pay a tribute to a
nationalist, a teacher, a disciplinarian, a tutor in dignity
and boldness.
"It is true that there are no permanent friends or
permanent enemies in politics, what we have is
permanent interest.
"Once upon a time, some nine years ago, I went to the
Villa and the President (Obasanjo) asked me to walk
out and I abuse him on the pages of newspapers. I told
him that he is a tenant here, because this house belongs
to every Nigerians. If I have come to Ota, you can send
me away.
"How best could we celebrate and honour truly a man
who have kept me on my toes. Whatever happened
between me and Baba Obasanjo, I want to say that it
was a gratitude to me because, he kept me on my toes.
"I took him to court as a President and one day we met
at the court gate and he said, you Bola, you took me to
court and I said No Baba, I don't take you to court but I
took Nigeria President to court and he said get away. I
told him right there that I will not get away until I get
what I want.
"All his actions and inactions during that time, I now
find them not to be emotional but a passion for
perfection. Obasanjo is an open book, when you read a
chapter, you open another chapter and if you drink
from that cup of wisdom, it is a great thing", Tinubu
disclosed
Speaking on the recent public tearing of Mr. Obasanjo's
PDP membership card, Tinubu noted that the action was
borne out of the former president's love of his
fatherland.
"PDP is an elephantiasis and only APC can cure it, it
will be cured. If you drink APC without alcoholic
beverages, it will cure it. The day I saw Baba
instructing that shredded umbrella card to be torn, I
asked why, but later I got to see that it was about
patriotism and love for the country.
"What would Obasanjo want from Jonathan or the PDP
that he has not gotten, but he puts all that aside and
believes in the unity and cohesion of this country. In
order to free himself from that bondage of partisanship,
he decided to remain a statesman by his action", the
former Lagos State governor stated. |
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