2019 election: Obasanjo visits Bode George, other Yoruba leaders
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asked if it was not strange sitting with obasanjo whom he had always criticised he said his criticisms of obasanjo was not borne out of animosity but how to do things right1 former president olusegun obasanjo on saturday met with leaders of the yoruba socio-cultural group afenifere and other political leaders in the south west on the way forward for nigeria1 those at the meeting included a former governor of ogun and the director-general of atiku campaign organisation chief otunba gbenga daniels a former governor of ondo dr olusegun mimiko and chief kenny martins1 others included sen. femi okunrounmu chief oyewole fashawe mr akin oshuntokun and dr tokunbo awolowo-dosunmu1 also at the meeting were prof. banji akintoye dr amos akingba as well afenifere secretary mr yinka odumakin1 nan reports that the meeting was also about sustaining the unity in nigeria1 obasanjo clad in a navy blue agbada however declined to speak with newsmen after the meeting1 but the afenifere leader adebanjo told newsmen that the meeting was about strengthening unity in yoruba land ahead of the 2019 general elections and beyond1 he said that there was the need for elders and leaders in the region to cast their differences aside and stand as one to chart a new course for the country1 the meeting was nothing more than the fact that nigeria must move forward1 there must be unity to destroy mediocrity and dictatorship1 what is important is that we have our common goal. we are not endorsing candidates yet. we must agree and be united first and that is what we are trying to achieve1 if you are not united you cannot achieve anything. and that primarily was the essence of the meeting he said1 adebanjo said the leaders at the meeting had fruitful discussions on the way forward for the yorubas and the country describing the meeting as an achievement1 also speaking pastor tunde bakare the convener of save nigeria group said that the meeting was about the way forward for the country at these critical times1 he explained that he and others met on fashioning the way forward for the country1 bakare said that since it was a closed-door meeting he would not provide details1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that the meeting which held behind closed-doors at the lekki residence of the afenifere leader chief ayo adebanjo lasted for almost two hours1 he added that his faulting obasanjo in and out of office did not mean he was his enemy but a call for collective reasoning for the interest of the nation1 being a critic is not an enemy of the state or the nation. the thinker is the enemy of the mob. if you say i have been a critic of obasanjo look at him now being a critic of buhari too. yet he facilitated his coming1 critique is not the same thing as criticism it is let us reason together things are not going the right way he said1 on his part odumakin said that the meeting was friendly and that there was so much conviviality1 he added that everybody present played active part in the deliberations1 earlier obasanjo had visited a former deputy national chairman of the peoples democratic party pdp chief olabode george to condole with him over the recent death of his son dipo1 the former president was accompanied on the visit to georges ikoyi residence by some of his aides and loyalists1 members of georges family expressed pleasant surprise at obasanjos visit saying it marks an end to the long-standing rift between him and the pdp chieftain1 speaking obasanjo urged george to take solace in god over the demise of his late son1 we cannot query god but to only take solace in what he has done for you1 if this did not happen who knows what next would happen1 i have not been around but it was on my mind to come over and commiserate with you and the family. may god grant the deposed eternal rest he said.1 reacting in an emotion-laden voice sister to the deceaseds father alhaja majolagbe george declared that the rift was over between obasanjo and her brother1 she said the family was shocked and surprised by the former presidents visit saying it has ended years of frictions between the two1 we are shocked when this started. but today the devil has been put to shame1 the evil this morning has been condemned outside this house1 it will never come to these great nigerians anymore she said. nan1