Obasanjo’s refusal to endorse Buhari troubles APC

There are indications that Ex President Olusegun Obasanjo has refused to endorse, the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muammadu Buhari.

Also, the animosity between, Buhari and General Ibrahim Babangida, is also a cause for worry among the Buhari group. In his recent interview, Buhari hinted that he is still very unhappy with Babangida who sacked his military administration.

When President Goodluck Jonathan visited Babangida, the ex military gave a tacit approval of Jonathan when he urged Nigeria to support Jonathan for the unity of Nigeria.His reason for his refusal is however unclear.

However, sources close to Obasanjo hinted that it may not be unconnected with a report by the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF) Interim Management Committee, instituted on July 7, 1999 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

.Based on the report, the PTF under Buhari’s supervision was mismanaged. The report was however neither made public nor was it acted upon by the former president.In its summary, the Committee had advised Obasanjo to “set up a high powered judicial panel to recover the huge public fund and to take necessary action against any officer, consultant or contractor whose negligence resulted in this colossal loss of public funds.”

According to the report, the sum of N25,758,532,448 was mismanaged by the Afri-Project Consortium (APC), a company contracted by the PTF as management and project consultant. Buhari as PTF chairman was said to have also “delegated to them the power of Engineer in all appropriate project requiring such power,” which made them assume absolute powers to initiate, approve and execute all projects by the PTF.

Sources hinted Pointblanknews.com that the body language of Obasanjo is troubling to the APC because it is at variance with his earlier promise

According to APC sources, when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu visited his Abeokuta residence , the former President specifically warned against fielding an “unclean vessel” in apparent reference to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who was his (Obasanjo) deputy from 1999-2007, as the opposition party’s presidential candidate in 2015.

But he assured Tinubu that whoever emerged, he would give his blessings, “but weeks after Buhari emerged Baba has avoided him, and has not accepted the request that the party brings Buhari and Osinbajo to his house, it is very troubling” an APC source said

Some APC top shots believe Obasanjo is playing games with both parties. They express worry at his moves. said another source, who is a member of the APC’s presidential campaign council. According to him ” We don’t know the game he is playing. He tells us Goodluck Jonathan must be stopped, he maligns him and his administration daily, but last Saturday he appears at his daughter’s wedding. we don’t understand him. it is like he is bargaining and playing safe with Jonathan, if he wins”

But one of his associate, Chief Oyewole Fasawe said in a statement that the ex-president sees the current political gladiators in all the parties as his political children and associates, hence, he would not endorse one over the other no matter the amount of pressure from any quarter.

“Baba has not endorsed anyone and has not condemned anyone. A statesman of his stature and pedigree can only pray and work towards peace and progress in Nigeria, Africa and the world at large. Those trying to exploit his friendliness to gain political advantage over other contenders are being unfair and doing so without Obasanjo’s approval”, he said.