2027: Factional Peoples Democractic Party Chairman, Turaki, Others Visit Obasanjo

The factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Kabiru Turaki on Saturday, led other members of the party on a visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his Penthouse residence, located within the precinct of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

In the entourage of the new PDP leadership were the BOT chairman and former Senate president, Senator Adolphus Wabara, the national secretary and former deputy governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, two former governors of Niger and Plateau States, Alhaji Muazu Babangida Aliyu and Senator Jonah Jang respectively, Dr Wole Oluyede, the party’s candidate for the forthcoming Ekiti governorship election, among others.

Speaking with journalists after emerging from the about 40-minute closed-door meeting with the former president, Turaki said the newly elected leadership of the opposition party was on a visit to Obasanjo to seek his support and guidance ahead of the task in 2027.

Turaki, who emerged as factional chairman of the opposition party during the Ibadan convention, described Chief Obasanjo as a highly experienced elder statesman, whose legacies of building strong institutions have really helped to strengthen democratic growth in Nigeria and beyond.

The former minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, explained that having been given the opportunity to serve, the new leadership of the opposition PDP thought it wise to visit Obasanjo to drink from his wealth of wisdom and seek his blessings and support for the success of the new administration.

Turaki said that though the task of sending the APC government packing by 2027 might not be a “tea party”, the frank talk which the factional leadership of PDP had with Obasanjo has further inspired them to believe that the task is not impossible.

“As the newly elected PDP leadership during our recent congress at Ibadan, we came to introduce ourselves to our father, the former president under the PDP administration, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

“We came to thank the former president for his vision and contributions to strengthening our democracy and good governance while he was in power. We came to thank him for helping to build strong institutions which the country is enjoying till today.

“We have also come to see the former president to draw inspiration from him as an oracle, we have come to get guidance, we have come to get advice, we have equally come to get critical support because if we must succeed in the gargantuan assignment that has been thrust upon our shoulders, then we must come to people like Chief Obasanjo who have the prerequisite experience.”

Addressing the teeming members of the Ogun State chapter of PDP later at the party’s state secretariat, Turaki urged members to give their support to the new leadership of the party, stressing that the era of impunity and shenanigans is over in the party as the members would be supported to pitch tent with their preferred candidates during the election.

“The truth is that PDP is back and is on the rise to take its rightful place in the democratic process of the country. The Nigerians could see that since our convention held in Ibadan, the APC is now worried more than ever before, they know that the equation has changed and that PDP is ready to send them packing in 2027.”