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Ahead of the 2019 elections, former President Olusegun Obasanjo now sits as oracle that may determine victory for candidates and political parties especially the presidential election, a development that seems to suggest why many are flocking to his inspired Coalition of Nigeria Movement (CNM).
This disclosure was made by the National Chairman of the National Unity Party (NUP), Perry Opara, who told BusinessDay in an exclusive interview on Saturday that the former President is a catalyst to the new found consciousness of the Nigerian people to install good governance in 2019 stressing that “in 2019, whoever Obasanjo supports will win the presidency of Nigeria.”
Opara noted that he and his party, the NUP are at the forefront among those who are working with the Obasanjo’s CNM, the Nigerian Intervention Movement (NIM), faith-based organizations, Civil Society Organisations, professional bodies, student groups, trade unions, market women, the media, international organisations, socio-cultural organisations and the Nigerians in the Diaspora under the platform of “The People First Grand Coalition.”
The NUP chairman, who recently led leaders of the other political parties and other interest groups to a meeting with Obasanjo said he supports the Obasanjo movement whole heartedly because it stands a chance to take Nigeria to the right direction. Other political party leaders, who joined Opara for the visit to Obasanjo included; Chairman of the Better Nigeria Progressive Party, (BNPP),Godswill Iheanyichukwu Nnaji, National Chairman of People’s Alliance for National Development & Liberty (PANDEL) Abah Lewis, the national Chairman of the Re-build Nigeria Party (RBNP), Japhet Anyanwu, National Secretary of African Democratic Congress (ADC) Sa’id Baba Abdullahi, the Secretary of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Sam Eke,religious leaders among others.
Opara warned that any politician or political party that ignores Obasanjo in 2019 will do so at their own peril, saying Obasanjo’s CNW has already attracted over 3 million members in just three weeks of inception even as he posited that the membership of CNM could hit 30 million before the elections which is enough to defeat any candidate in an election.
“Obasanjo is the Nigerian political Oracle, which must be consulted in any presidential election. He has led Nigeria three times before and when he brought Yar’Adua in 2007 against the permutations of everybody Yar’Adua won. He brought in Jonathan in 2011 and against all permutation Jonathan won despite not having the structures, and in the last election in 2015, Obasanjo joined forces with President Muhammadu Buhari and brought him in,” he noted.
When asked whether Nigerians will still trust Obasanjo considering the fact that the previousleaders he allegedly selected for Nigerians seem to have failed, Opara pointed out that Obasanjo is only interested in improving the economy of Nigeria. He said “I have had personal interaction with Obasabjo and he is an elderly man what else is he looking for?
“He is not looking for money and fame, he is not looking to build houses, he is not thinking of buying cars. He is thinking of how the economy of Nigeria will be better and even the deaf and blind are aware that we are not doing well, there is hardship in the land. I have had personal interaction with Obasanjo and I have come to the realisation and conviction that what the man wants is the economy of Nigeria to be better.
“So long as the economy of Nigeria is good he will be with the person. Even when he brought Jonathan to power, he found out that the government was being reckless, they were not doing what they are supposed to do and that government collapsed. He has told President Buhari to do something about the economy and I am thinking that if a miracle happens and the economy turns around and Nigerian hardship reduces, the killing in various parts of Nigeria, the terrorism reduce, he may have a change of mind to support Buhari.
“So Obasanjo can be trusted, he can be believed and Nigerians have a way of believing in him because he has shown the way three times. He brought out Yar’ Adua, they followed, he brought out Jonathan, the followed him, he supported Buhari and the people followed. I am sure that in 2019, whoever OBJ supports will win the presidency of Nigeria.”
Innocent Odoh, Abuja
