OBJ Warns Govs - Jittery Over Kingibe, Anenih - Lobbies To Move PDP Convention To S/West

By Doyun Oladipo - 02.02.2008

THE former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has warned the five governors of the South-West elected on the platform of the People Democratic Party (PDP) to steer clear of the former Chairman of the party's Board of Trustees (BOT), Chief Tony Anenih, and the Secretary to the Government of the Fedration (SGF), Alhaji Babagana Kingibe.

Obasanjo, who gave the warning ahead of the March 8, 2008 national Convention of the party, wared the firv governors not to romance with Anenih and Kingibe, who are known to be against his (Obasanjo) ambition to retain the chairmanship of the BOT and were also opposed to his candidate for the national chairman of the party, Dr. Sam Egwu.

Saturday Tribune learnt that Obasanjo issued the warning during one of his routine meetings with the governors in his Ota, Ogun State farm two weeks ago.

Obasanjo told the governors Otunba Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State; Dr. Olusegun Agagu pf Ondo State (who was out of the country) Prince Olagusoye Oyinlola of Osun State; Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State; and Engineer Segun Oni of Ekiti State that his warning to them was mainly for two reasons.

The first was that both Anenih and Kingibe were working against his ambition to retain the chairmanship of the BOT and by extension deny the Yoruba race the opportunity of holding a highly placed position in the PDP.

He reportedly said he was aware that some of the South-West governors were at a wedding attended by both Kingibe and Anenih, where the issue of who became the national chairman of the party was discussed.

He said he was aware that both men were of the view that the former President of the Senate, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, should be the national chairman and were working tirelessly to ensure that this became a reality during the national convention.

The second reason, Obasanjo said he was giving the warning, was that in the event that the President, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, decides not to back Anyim for the national chairmanship while the governors have committed themselves, he would not help in averting the wrath of the Yar'Adua.

Obasanjo said that with the position of the Presidency on the chairmanship yet to be made public, it would be suicidal for any governor to commit himself to a position not in tandem with the Presidency's.

Sources said that Obasanjo told the governors that with the not too cordial relationship between the Presidency and Kingibe over the report that the SGF had set up machinery to actualise his presidential ambition in case Yar'Adua's adversaries succeed in upturning his election, it would be dangerous to pursue another course.

The former president, at the meeting, which held before Monday's meeting of the NEC of the party in Abuja, thus urged the governors to support his bid to retain the chairmanship of the BOT.

Meanwhile, in a bid to shore support for his ambition of having a hold on the leadership of the party by ensuring his own men are elected as national officers, especially the national chairman's seat, Obasanjo is said to be working assiduously to have the national convention held in the South-West.

Sources said that the former president has already put together a lobby team to ensure the convention was held in the South-West.

The position, said to have received little support so far, a source said, would be to ensure that some candidates, especially for the national chairman's position, are scared away from the venue.

So far, only Anyim is known to be in Obasanjo's bad books.