Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday said he is no longer interested in partisan politics.
He made the remark while meeting with leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party who paid a courtesy visit to his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The PDP delegation was led by party chairman Iyorcha Ayu, who applauded Obasanjo’s leadership style.
Ayu led Peter Obi, former Governors, Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Liyel Imoke (Cross River) and Donald Duke (Cross River) to the meeting with Obasanjo.
The team first met Obasanjo under closed doors for two hours.
But on return to a larger meeting with PDP members, Obasanjo restated his position.
He admitted that having governed Nigeria twice on the PDP platform, the party would continue to be part of his history.
“I retired 14 years ago, and I remain retired,” Obasanjo said. “And I will remain retired by the Grace of God. But if I retire from partisan politics – if politics is the welfare of people – I must not retire from the welfare and well-being of people, whether in my own community, state, country, anywhere in Africa, and indeed anywhere in the world. And that is why I have the type of responsibility that I now have from the Horn of Africa.
“I will say that your own responsibility (turning to Ayu) is not an easy one either. But it has to be done.
“But bear in mind, I am no longer in partisan politics. And there is nothing that will bring me back to partisan politics. But I will always be interested in what is good for Nigeria. And anybody who wants to have my advice, I will unstintingly give it.”
“Since the day I tore my PDP card, that was the day I ceased to be a member of PDP. That day I vowed not to be a member of any political party.
“I will continue to be a statesman.”
