FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday resigned his position as chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, saying the move would enable him fulfill his duties as a statesman locally and internationally.
The unexpected resignation which caused ripples in party circles last night, Obasanjo added, would also free him to concentrate on his presidential library and mobilize investments into the continent.
The letter of resignation was addressed to the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as is required by the party’s constitution.
The Secretary of the BOT, Senator Walid Jubril, however, claimed ignorance of the resignation yesterday.
The board of trustees of the party, according to the constitution comprises of men and women of integrity that have contributed critically to the party, and who act as the conscience of the party.
It was gathered that Obasanjo’s letter of resignation was made available to News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, which is headed by his erstwhile spokesperson, Mrs. Remi Oyo.
A s cover to the letter of resignation sent to NAN the former President said:
‘’I have formally sent in my letter of resignation as the Chairman of BOT of PDP to the National Chairman of the party as prescribed in the party’s constitution.
‘’I have formally requested the President to allow my bowing out and to issue a short statement to that effect.
“By relieving myself of the responsibility for chairmanship of BOT of PDP, I will have a bit more time to devote to the international demand on me.”
According to him, the resignation would give him time, ‘’to give some attention to mentoring across the board nationally and internationally in those areas that I have acquired some experience, expertise and in which I have something to share. In 2011, I was in the vanguard of working for PDP to produce a president for Nigeria. God answered our prayer.”
He also said that it will allow him concentrate on his Presidential Library as well as to mobilize and encourage investment in Nigeria and Africa, adding that he had promised to reduce his partisan political activities if PDP produces the President.
But when Vanguard contacted the Secretary, Board of Trustees, BoT, Senator Walid Jubril of the development, he simply said he was not aware.
It would be recalled that on June 27, 2007, Obasanjo emerged as the Chairman of BOT after a controversial amendment of the PDP constitution which allowed him to take over from the erstwhile Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih. Former governor of Nasarawa State and now a Senator, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu was also elected the Secretary of the board.
It would also be recalled that when Obasanjo was elected in June, 2007 at the Kano Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, it became the first time in the existence of the party that the board of trustees held its meeting in the morning as against the usual nocturnal meeting of the board. Anenih was conspicuously absent at the meeting, but his wife, Mrs. Josephine Anenih was present at the meeting where the decision was taken to replace her husband.
Before the meeting, Anenih as chairman had fixed the meeting for 8pm that day, but the time was changed without his consent.
To pave way for him to become the Chairman of BoT, former President Obasanjo had seen to the amendment of the party’s constitution which provided that only a former president still in the party could hold that position, but the clause was later changed in 2009.
Source:Vanguardngr
