Obasanjo Dumps PDP, Says “A Wanted Criminal Cannot Be my Leader”

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has “temporarily” suspended his

membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, saying he cannot be in a

party that has Alhaji Buruji Kashamu, as his leader.

Kashamu a self acclaimed philanthropist and Nigeria's newest “Godfather”,

is a drug baron and fugitive from the United States.

In a one-page letter dated 7 January, 2014 to the chairman of the ruling

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Obasanjo said he

would cease to be a member of the party by withdrawing from its activities

at the local, state and federal levels.
The letter reads:
“While I believe that a good and truly national political party must be a

microcosm of the nation in its membership, made up of all sorts of

characters from near-saints to near-satan, I also believe that on no

account should a known habitual criminal that is wanted abroad to face

criminal charges levelled against him be extolled as a political leader in

a respectable and wholesome nation-building political party.

“…has been so extolled in PDP in South-West geo-political zone which I

personally find unsavoury. Politics played by any national political party

must have morality, decency, discipline, principles and leadership

examples as cardinal practices of the party. I have attached here recent

documents that clearly indicate that your extolled PDP Zonal Leader in the

South-West zone of Nigeria and an indigene of Ogun State is, to say the

least, not a credit to the party as a member, let alone being a zonal

leader.
“Since I stick in my practice of party politics to the hallowed and

cherished principles enunciated above, I take this opportunity to let you

know that while I continue to remain a card-carrying member of PDP, I

cannot and I will not subscribe to a wanted habitual criminal being

installed as my zonal leader in the party; a criminal for whom extradition

has been requested by the US government. In the meantime, I will consider

withdrawing my activity with PDP at local, state, zonal and national

levels until the anomalous and shameful situation is corrected.”