CITING the statesmanship role he had been playing since he left office, former President Olusegun Obasanjo was yesterday visited by the Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi.
After a brief meeting with the governor and his entourage, during which journalists were present, Umahi, like others who paid Obasanjo similar visits before him, held a closed door meeting with the former President. Speaking to journalists later, Umahi described the results of the last elections as the “will of God”.
He disclosed that he was in Abeokuta to thank the former President for the statesmanship role he had been playing since he left office. The Governor praised Obasanjo for his “honesty, humility, courage and willingness to move the country forward.
The governor pleaded with Obasanjo to continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in his effort to effect positive change in the country. According to him, “One of the greatest things that will move this nation forward is the forthrightness and Mr. President (Buhari) has displayed that.
In our meetings with him every one of the Governors is very pleased with him. It is not a question of being in this party or being in the other party.” “We are interested in the man (Buhari) who has the welfare and the interest of the nation at hand.
His directive to stop many accounts of NNPC (Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation), I am sure you are gladdened because I had discussed that with you and you complained bitterly about the way NNPC was being run; when they keep more money than what they give the Federal Government.”
Obasanjo, who spoke earlier described Umahi as his in-law “Because one of my sons is married to Ebonyi girl” and commended the governor for administering a peaceful state.
He also praised the Governor for running a dynamic leadership in the State. Obasanjo told his guest, “Your state is reasonably peaceful, people in Nigeria do not hear much about Ebonyi and yet what I know of it is dynamic, it is also a complex state. But it remains a peaceful state.
I believe the honour and commendation goes to you and your predecessors.” He added, “You being Governor should not be strange to you because you have been in the corridor. In fact more than the corridor, you have been in the sitting room of power before your taking over.”
“Thank you very much for coming. I really appreciate this honour and of course, I would only end like Idi Amin. Since you have been so kind to pay me and all of us here this courtesy visit, I will have to retaliate by making sure that I come to Ebonyi in not too distant future”, the former President affirmed.
