A former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has revealed that the choices of candidates would contest under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP flag in the state in 2011 ignited what appeared like a conflict between him and former president, Olusegun Obasanjo.
Noting, however, that Obasanjo is his senior both in age and experience, the ex-governor revealed that whenever he is ready for Obasanjo, he would go and prostrate to the ex-president “and ask of what we are going to do.”
Recall that a former Senior Special Assistant to then president, Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, had in May revealed that his relationship with the Otta farmer turned sour after he started working for Jonathan’s second term, explaining that he kissed and prostrated before Obasanjo when he visited Otta farm.
Giving insight into the conflict between him and former president when he featured on a radio programme, Podium, on Sweet FM, Abeokuta, Daniel said “I opined (during the 2011 election) that we should use one stone to kill two birds by picking a Muslim from Ogun West, to assuage the people of Ogun West who have continuously complained that they cannot be governor and the Muslim community who were also agitating at that time.
Daniel continued, “That I felt was the winning formula then. Obasanjo disagreed insisting that religious factor should not be an important issue for that position at that time.
“It was a principled disagreement. Some extraneous factors also created a communication gap which did not help matters,” the former Ogun governor said, adding that that development led to what appeared like a face-off between him and the former president, who hails from Ogun state.
“I have told you earlier that I am a man of principles. Baba Obasanjo is also a man of principles. We attended the same school. We were trained to be very strong on principles.
“Beyond that, Baba remains Baba. I am a thorough-bred Yoruba man. In terms of age, he is my senior.” “In terms of experience, he is my senior. I have ruled only Ogun state and he has ruled the entire country Nigeria.
“Check it out and you will discover that there is no other person that I have celebrated when I was governor more than Baba Obasanjo.
“Anytime I am ready for Baba, I will go to him and ask of what we are going to do. I will prostrate for the old man.
“The last time I was in his house, he gave me bush meat. We joked and we moved on. I think it is people who for various other reasons throw spanners between people.
“We have no issues. The relationship may not be described as excellent but it is good.
“Have you ever heard me publicly disparage Olusegun Obasanjo? You know the people who abuse Baba. Even in newspaper advertorials. I am a thorough-bred Yoruba man and that is the difference.”
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