President Goodluck Jonathan has confirmed meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday in his residence in Owu, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He told newsmen that although he was in Abeokuta to pay condolence visit to his Special Adviser, Reuben Abati whose mother was buried on Friday, he could not have come to the Ogun State capital where the former president resides, and not pay him a visit.
Coming to Abeokuta and not visiting Obasanjo, he said, would have make some people speculate that there was a problem between them.
He said: “It is true we saw President Obasanjo in his house because we came here to Abeokuta to commiserate with Abati who buried his mother yesterday. And knowing that Abati’s house is at the backyard of Obasanjo’s house, it will not be good if we come and not visit him.”
“Even the man himself will not be happy if we don’t visit him. I am like a son to Obasanjo,” he added.
Dressed in a black flowing agbada and a Yoruba cap to match, President Jonathan arrived Obasanjo’s residence around 12 noon in the company of Senator Grace Folashade Bent.
Even as details of the closed door meeting was unknown, it is believed that the discussions centred on 2015 election, the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the controversy surrounding the planned conduct of PDP’s mini National Convention.
The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDPGF) and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio had been reported to have made moves to reconcile them especially to facilitate the yet to be announced second term ambition of the President.
Speaking with newsmen at the Abati’s residence President Jonathan said that he would have attended the Abati’s Church Service after commissioning the Police housing estate on Friday but had to fly out to Togo to meet President of Côte d’Ivoire, Allasane Quattara, and his Togolese counterpart over some looming political crisis.
Jonathan condoled the family as he noted Abati was a member of his family and advised the family to take solace in the fact that their mother lived to a ripe old age beyond the biblical three score and ten.
Speaking during the visit, Abati said that the family was no longer expecting the President since he was represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, at the church service.
Abati said he was happy with the life his mother lived as not many mothers would die and their burial attract the presence of the nation’s president.
Culled from The Nation
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