Mixed reactions over Obasanjo, IBB, Abdulsalami meeting
Some senators and credible sources at the APC secretariat who spoke with our correspondent last night said the Minna meeting of the three former Nigerian leaders –Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar – was not unexpected.
One of the senators, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there was no way Obasanjo, Babangida and Abdulsalami would sit in isolation for over two hours and just exchange pleasantries.
He made reference to the long press release issued by a chieftain of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande on the health status of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The life of everyone is in the hands of our Creator; nobody is saying Buhari is dying but there’s the need for fresh approach to how his health issue is being handled and what Nigerians are being fed with; I strongly believe that the issue formed the fulcrum of the meeting,” he said.
But a ranking senator said IBB and Abdulsalami do not have the “moral grounds” to say anything in respect of Buhari’s style of leadership.
“IBB recently said they are the military wing of the PDP and he did not support Buhari’s presidency ab initio. Abdulsalami on the other hand is sitting on the fence, he is neither here nor there and cannot therefore say Buhari should handover and go anywhere because he is sick,” he said.
He said it was Obasanjo that has the political clout to comment on the APC led government. “Though Obasanjo is not a member of the APC, he played key role towards establishing the APC government and has the legitimacy to comment. But even then, he spoilt his show by flying to Minna.”
Another senator said “We’re yet to have details but every Nigerian knows that we have a serious issue at hand as far as governance is concerned. I heard that Obasanjo, IBB and Abdulsalam would go to the Villa soon; I don’t know when but they would definitely meet with Buhari and his handlers.”
“And you should be rest assured that whatever they discuss with the president will come to the fore,” he added.
A source at the APC secretariat said though Akande was the sole signatory of his Tuesday’s statement in Lagos, he actually spoke the minds of many interests within the ruling APC. “Chief Akande was not the sole architect of that memo, he spoke the mind of key chieftains who felt detached from the Presidency at a time when the president is sick and needed the firm support of those who worked for his emergence in 2015,” he said.
