Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday come out in public for the first time to declare All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari as clean of corruption despite PTF probe. He specifically mentioned the probe he instituted into the activities of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) while Buhari was the chairman and how the panel pronounced him clean of corruption.
Obasanjo said this when Buhari who was accompanied by his running mate, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, the party’s national chairman, Dr John Odigie-Oyegun, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Barnabas Gemade, Chief Audu Ogbe, Senator Bukola Saraki, Chief Bisi Akande among others, met with the former president at his hilltop mansion in Abeokuta yesterday.
“Our paths have crossed on a number of occasions and when I was told you are going to be coming to Ogun State, I wasn’t sure whether you will come here or not.”
“But I told my boys; I said well, whatever programme we have outside Ogun State for today, let us shelve it just in case Muhammadu and his party and his team decide to call here.”
He maintained that as Buhari noted, he is a card-carrying member of PDP, adding however, that beyond party politics, what is paramount to him is the interest of the country.
Obasanjo said Buhari’s programme encapsulates what Nigeria needs now but begged him to include infrastructural development in their programme.
“Another thing that I want to say, when you were going to become manager of PTF. We talked about it and when you finished and I took over, we looked into it.”
“I haven’t said this publicly; I will say it publicly now. When we looked into it, there was really nothing amiss except that the organisation went from road building to mosquito net buying and all sorts of things.”
“We should look into it. And I called my brother and colleague; I said this and he said look, we are managing billions of Naira and I tried to make sure I see everything. But I will not say that what they have said about this is correct or not correct. But I can assure you I tried to see everything.”
“I said okay. Muhammadu, between me, you and God, was there any personal benefit for you? And you said no. I said that is the end of the matter. Although there was that investigation, its report was not of any material importance,”
“All the political parties have saints and devils among them. But because what you are campaigning for is the votes of saints and devils to be able to win an election, I wish you well,” he said.
Obasanjo told the gathering that he and Buhari had been communicating through letters when Buhari decided to join the 2015 presidential race and when he eventually got APC ticket to run.
“You will remember when you decided to contest you wrote me a letter; this time around. And I replied your letter. When you became the flag bearer of your party, you wrote me another letter. And I replied your second letter because I believe that you have honoured me by writing and I should of course reciprocate by also responding to your letter.”
Obasanjo however explained that he remained a PDP member saying all political parties, the world over have both good and bad people in their folds.
“You have kindly underlined what I want everybody to remember; that I am a card-carrying member of another political party. But I have always also said that party or no party, what is paramount for me is Nigeria.” (Leadership)
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