by Lateef Ibrahim
The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof. Wale Oladipo, on Tuesday said that the recent exit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo from the party is more of a blessing. Oladipo pointedly stated that a lot of people could have complained that they would have voted for PDP, but for Obasanjo?s membership of the party.
The PDP scribe equally said that the former President did not tear the current membership card of the party, stressing that what was torn was the party?s old membership card, which was no longer in use. Prof Oladipo stated these when a coalition of 36 states Presidents Association of UNIABUJA, led by Pekun Olanrewaju, visited the party?s national secretariat in Abuja, during which they endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for the forthcoming presidential election.
Speaking on Obasanjo?s actions after the event, the PDP scribe stated: ?Baba is over 80 and my mother is around Obasanjo?s age and, when you reach that age, you do things that only you can explain. ?Secondly, you would see that Baba did not tear our card. He asked somebody, ostensibly, to do the tearing, and I am assuring you that the card that was torn was not the current card in use.
?The current PDP card is signed by the party?s Chairman, Adamu Mu?azu, and Prof Wale Oladipo. So, the card he tore was a Baraje card, which we were going to destroy anyway. ?Lastly, Baba is a very intelligent man. When Baba was helping us, he knew that a lot of people could have complained that they could have voted for PDP, but for Baba?s presence in the party.
?You know, when a big tree exits in a big forest, smaller trees can now grow. If that big tree leaves, 10 to 20 smaller ones will grow. In politics, one big tree has a vote, while 20 small trees have 20 votes, if you do the arithmetic. I am a scientist; I know that head or tail, it is a win, win situation for PDP,? he opined.
