Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was one of the speakers at the Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF) 2015 in Dubai last Sunday.
Obasanjo, at an interactive session with journalists personally opened up for the first time on the widely publicized tearing of his membership card of the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to Obasanjo, “I didn’t tear my PDP membership card; somebody else tore it because I said to him, ‘Here is the card, do whatever you like with it.
“If you like keep it; if you like tear it, if you like burn it. Here it is because they say it is giving them concern and they don’t know what is happening.’ I did that to prove to them what is happening.”
When asked to comment about the current leadership situation in Nigeria, Obasanjo who monotously used the word “change” said, “The good thing about democracy which we are trying to practise in our country is that the people have a choice.
“people have a choice of making the incumbent to bring about a change; change of policy, change of direction or in the alternative, the people bring about a change; change of regime, change of personality.
“And I believe that our election when it comes less than two weeks from now, will bring about a change; either change of policy or change of direction or change of regime or change of personality.”
Commenting on the widely held assertion that the collection rate of PVC in his home state of Ogun is very poor, Obasanjo dismissed it as mere politicisation of the matter, saying, “I don’t know what is being politicised with the PVCs. I have collected my own PVC.
“Some people came to me and complained about PVC. I wrote to the INEC chairman and he wrote back to me to say that he had got my letter and was doing something about it.
“And some of those who complained then told me that they have been able to collect their PVCs; not everybody but I believe that if 100 per cent of people who have registered get their PVCs, not 100 per cent of them will vote.
“What is important in any election is to ensure that nobody is disenfranchised and those who want to vote are able to vote freely, undisturbed and uninterrupted. And the result is not interfered with in any way.”
When asked to disclose who he was going to vote for among the two main contenders in next Saturday’s election, Obasanjo simply shrugged it off, saying when it was time he would know who to vote.
Reminded that he had already publicly endorsed the opposition party candidate, Obasanjo said again, “When the time comes for me to endorse anybody, I will say I endorse.
“But what people are putting into my mouth for now, I will spit it out.” (Elombah).