President Goodluck Jonathan has confirmed meeting with former
President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday in his residence in Owu,
Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He told newsmen that although he was in Abeokuta to pay condolence
visit to his Special Adviser, Reuben Abati whose mother was buried on
Friday, he could not have come to the Ogun State capital where the
former president resides, and not pay him a visit.
Coming to Abeokuta and not visiting Obasanjo, he said, would have
make some people speculate that there was a problem between them.
He said: “It is true we saw President Obasanjo in his house because
we came here to Abeokuta to commiserate with Abati who buried his mother
yesterday. And knowing that Abati’s house is at the backyard of
Obasanjo’s house, it will not be good if we come and not visit him.”
“Even the man himself will not be happy if we don’t visit him. I am like a son to Obasanjo,” he added.
Dressed in a black flowing agbada and a Yoruba cap to match,
President Jonathan arrived Obasanjo’s residence around 12 noon in the
company of Senator Grace Folashade Bent.
Even as details of the closed door meeting was unknown, it is
believed that the discussions centred on 2015 election, the crisis in
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the controversy surrounding the
planned conduct of PDP’s mini National Convention.
The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDPGF) and Akwa Ibom State
Governor, Godswill Akpabio had been reported to have made moves to
reconcile them especially to facilitate the yet to be announced second
term ambition of the President.
Speaking with newsmen at the Abati’s residence President Jonathan
said that he would have attended the Abati’s Church Service after
commissioning the Police housing estate on Friday but had to fly out to
Togo to meet President of Côte d’Ivoire, Allasane Quattara, and his
Togolese counterpart over some looming political crisis.
Jonathan condoled the family as he noted Abati was a member of his
family and advised the family to take solace in the fact that their
mother lived to a ripe old age beyond the biblical three score and ten.
Speaking during the visit, Abati said that the family was no longer
expecting the President since he was represented by his Chief of Staff,
Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, at the church service.
Abati said he was happy with the life his mother lived as not many
mothers would die and their burial attract the presence of the nation’s
president.
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