Yar’Adua, Obasanjo renew ‘pact’

By Festus Ojudun - 04.02.2008

More facts have emerged over the recent caucus meeting involving four top leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as both President Umaru Yar’Adua and his predecessor, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, were said to have resolved their differences.

Presidency sources revealed that contrary to reports of a widening gulf between the two leaders, the PDP caucus insisted that either of them should not wash their dirty linen in public.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that Obasanjo told Yar’Adua that he was free to run his government as he deemed fit and that he (Obasanjo) would not interfere in his administration.

He was also said to have told Yar’Adua not to hesitate to adjust, reform or correct any mistakes or defects in some of the policies he (Obasanjo) initiated while he was president.

He was also said to have told Yar’Adua that in the process of correcting the mistakes, if there were any, he should act within the overall reform agenda of the PDP.

Another presidency source told the Nigerian Tribune that Obasanjo cautioned Yar’Adua not to allow the opposition to come between the two of them, saying that such could weaken the PDP and affect its chances in future elections.

The source disclosed that Ahmadu Ali, PDP outgoing national chairman and chairman of the party’s Convention Planning Committee, counseled Yar’Adua to be wary of the antics of the opposition.

He was said to have told the president that it was in the interest of the opposition that he (Yar’Adua) and Obasanjo fell out with each other, urging Yar’Adua to maintain the ‘pact’ he had with Obasanjo before last year’s election.

President Yar’Adua was to have reassured his predecessor that he would not breach the ‘pact’ and that he was committed to the reform agenda of the party, including economic reforms, anti-corruption and strengthening of democracy.