Controvery as Obasanjo's letter unsettles leading political parties in Nigeria

Ex-President Obasanjo's recent letter to President Muhammadu Buhari urging him not seek re-election has generated mixed reactions . Though the presidency is yet to respond officially, everybody knows it's not a good electoral gain.

We learnt the President is currently meeting with the ruling party's South-West leaders who played a key role in his winning the 2015 presidential election. Some of the ruling party's Northern Governors and their members in the South-East Nigeria have already endorsed the president for re-election, which may have contradicted the party's position on inclusiveness,

Leading voices include the opposition PDP, party which was Chief Obasanjo's political party as two-term president. The party acknowledged that Obasanjo's advice to President Buhari vindicates their position on the president's poor performance but disagreed with him on their preparadeness to present alternative leadership. According to their spokesperson, Obasanjo's letter has 'rekindled the fate of ordinary people in the democratic process'. They said the party is more formidable to present credible leadership to Nigerians given the new challenge.

Meanwhile another chieftain of the opposition party PDP , the Governor of Ekiti State who is a vocal critic of President Buhari's bad governance has said that President Buhari should heed Obasanjo's advise and go home. According to him the President has already 'overstayed his welcome'. He accused ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo of being one of the cabals who 'install and dethrone' governments in Nigeria. He also indicted ex-President Obasanjo as being responsible for deceieving the International community to support Buhari to become President in 2015.

Thisday newspaper has reported that a group of politcians comprising past and present Governors, Legislators and other political heavyweights are currently seeking to form a new coalition (political party), that will present alternative leadership to Nigerians come 2019, but weighing the option of meeting the electoral guidelines.

Nigeria needs the restructuring of the current political structure and a new leadership to build strong institutions, leveraging global partnerships to build a new society that is inclusive. This is the urgent task for Nigerians.

Uche Okeke.