Obasanjo on ‘National Agenda’ visits ex-heads of state Abubakar, Babangida

Nigeria’s former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, says he has no preferred candidate among the various parties’ standard bearers in the 2023 presidential election.

Obasanjo, who was in Minna, Niger State, on Sunday on a fleeting visit to retired former military heads of state, Generals Abdulsalam Abubakar and Ibrahim Babangida, said his recent meetings with some presidential candidates and political parties were an indication of his interest in a national agenda rather than personal preference.

He said as an elder statesman, he had no anointed presidential candidate or a preferred political party but an agenda for the country.

“I don’t have a special candidate for the 2023 presidential election but rather, I have a national agenda,” Obasanjo declared, after meeting with Gen Abubakar.

The former president had at different occasions consulted with Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other prominent Nigerians from different political parties, including Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.

Chief Obasanjo, on arrival in Minna, drove straight first to Abubakar’s residence, where they had a closed-door meeting for about 30 minutes.

READ: JUST IN: Obasanjo in London, meets with Wike, Obi, others

However, speaking with journalists after the meeting, Obasanjo said he had come to visit his “brother”.

He said: “I have come to see my brother who was indisposed and when he was abroad, I had wanted to visit him but unfortunately, I missed him because the day I arrived in London to visit him was the day he left.

“So, I said since I could not see him in London, I will come to see him in Nigeria and so, that is what I have come to do.

“He is special in a way and he was indisposed, so I had to come and see him. If there is anybody again who is special and indisposed that I have to see, I will see him. I am still strong enough.”

General Abdulsalami with his wife Justice Fati Abubakar after the meeting led Obasanjo to his car at exactly 1.13pm.

The former President immediately, drove to General Ibrahim Babangida’s residence, where he also had another closed-door meeting.