Full Speech Here:
Remarks
By
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
On The Visit of PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to Abeokuta
October 11, 2018
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I am happy to welcome the distinguished leaders of goodwill who have
led the PDP Presidential Candidate and my former Vice-President, Atiku
Abubakar, to my humble abode and I welcome the Presidential Candidate
himself.
Let me start by congratulating President-to-be, Atiku
Abubakar, for his success at the recent PDP Primary and I took note of
his gracious remarks in his acceptance speech that it all started here.
Yes, when it started, it was meant for Atiku to succeed Obasanjo. In
the presence of these distinguished leaders of goodwill today, let me
say it openly that we have reviewed what went wrong on the side of
Atiku.
And in all honesty, my former Vice-President has
re-discovered and re-positioned himself. As I have repeatedly said, it
is not so much what you did against me that was the issue but what you
did against the Party, the Government and the country.
I took the
stand I had taken based on the character and attributes you exhibited
in the position you found yourself. I strongly believe that I was
right. It was in the overall interest of everyone and everything to take
such a position.
From what transpired in the last couple of
hours or so, you have shown remorse; you have asked for forgiveness and
you have indicated that you have learnt some good lessons and you will
mend fences and make amends as necessary and as desirable.
Whenever or wherever you might have offended me, as a Christian who asks
for God’s forgiveness of my sins and inadequacies on daily basis, I
forgive and I sincerely advise you to learn from the past and do what is
right and it will be well with you. Obviously, you have mended fences
with the Party and fully reconciled with the Party.
That’s why
today, you are the Presidential Candidate of the Party. In addition to
appreciating all that the Party has done for you, may I advise you to
work together with all those who contested for the Party’s flag with you
as a team for your campaign.
There are still areas, nationally
and internationally, where you have to mend fences and make amends. You
will know how to handle what is already out and what may yet be put out
by the opposition.
But, I am convinced that if you continue
with the attitude that brought you here with these distinguished leaders
of goodwill, with remorse and contrite heart, the rest of the coast
within and outside the country can be cleared. And if there is anything
I can do and you want me to do in that respect, I will do.
I
am sure with the right attitude for change where necessary, and by
putting lessons learned by you to work, you will get the understanding,
cooperation, support and mandate – all at the national level.
With Nigerians voting for you, it will mean that you secure their
forgiveness and regain their confidence. It will be with the hope or
assurance of a Paul on the road to Damascus Conversion. After all,
change and conversion are of man. I believe that with a contrite heart,
change is possible in everybody’s life and situation.
For me,
relatively and of all the aspirants in the PDP, you have the widest and
greatest exposure, experience, outreach and possibly the best machinery
and preparation for seeing the tough and likely dirty campaign ahead
through. From what I personally know of you, you have capacity to
perform better than the incumbent.
You surely understand the
economy better; you have business experience, which can make your
administration business-friendly and boost the economy and provide jobs.
You have better outreach nationally and internationally and that can
translate to better management of foreign affairs. You are more
accessible and less inflexible and more open to all parts of the country
in many ways. As Pastor Bakare, one-time running mate of the incumbent
President said, “You are a wazobia man.” And that should help you in
confronting the confrontable and shunning nepotism.
As you know,
along the road to where you are today, many leaders and ordinary people
cooperated and overtly and covertly worked hard. On your behalf, I
thank them all. May their coast continue to be expanded. And when you
become Nigerian President which, insha-Allah, you will be, remember what
we did together in government – we ran an administration by Nigerians
for all Nigerians where merit and performance count more than blood
relationship, friendship or kith and kin. Although some time and ground
have been lost, you should endeavour to start from where we stopped and
recover some lost ground, if not time.
Please uphold truth,
integrity, principles, morality and fight corruption, crimes and
insurgency. The fundamental law of the land, our constitution must be
scrupulously defended. I make one demand and one demand on you today, I
need you to say before God and man that you will always remain
irrevocably committed to upholding ALL the provisions of the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the whole country
will remain your single indivisible constituency.
Constitutionalism, popular participation and inclusiveness are
pre-conditions for reversing the deficits of the past three and half
years. They will ensure abiding faith in our indivisibility, oneness and
faith in the survival of all against none.
The fundamentals for
our development, economic growth and progress are hard and soft
infrastructure. Remember to always give adequate places in your
administration to our youth and women.
All the authorities
involved with the preparation, all processes and conduct of the election
must ensure that the election is free, fair and credible.
Once
again, congratulations and I wish you well. My distinguished brothers
and leaders of goodwill, thank you for making this happen. I will now
count on you to encourage all hands to be on the deck to take Nigeria to
the level God has created it to be – autopilot level.
God bless you all and God bless Nigeria.
