Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday said Nigeria needs a strong ruling party and a strong opposition party to check the government for democracy to thrive in the country.
Mr. Obasanjo said this while speaking with journalists shortly after he hosted the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ahmed Markafi, at Green Legacy Resort in Abeokuta.
The former President who reinstated that he has ended partisan politics, however, said that the decision does not affect his passion for Nigeria’s growth.
“I have said that publicly before and I will say it again: for our democracy to thrive and continue to be strong, we need strong party in government and strong party in the opposition. It has to be that way, otherwise the party in government will get away with impunity and that is not good for democracy,” he said.
“I have said no partisan politics for me again. And not partisan politics but Nigeria is my passion until death do us part. Anything that concerns Nigeria, the good of Nigeria, you will see my involvement,” Mr. Obasanjo stressed.
On his meeting with Mr. Makarfi, the former president said it was a meeting of two former colleagues.
”This na two colleagues meeting, two colleagues before before. When I was the President, Chairman was a governor. Two colleagues before before,” he said.
He said he emphasised to his guest that he would never again be involved in party politics.
”I have told the Chairman that I was in PDP before but not now. God forbid say when a dog vomits, it will go back to eat its vomit, no. I have said no partisan politics for me again and not partisan politics.
”So, the Chairman has come to greet me and I greet am. And now that we’ve greeted ourselves, Chairman will be going, you gentlemen and ladies of the press, you can now go, leave the Chairman alone,” he stated.
