SAN FRANCISCO, November 12, (THEWILL) – Former President Goodluck Jonathan has advised ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to find a way of courting his former boss, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, if he (Atiku) must realise his presidential ambition.
Jonathan, in an interview he recently granted the Ovation Magazine, published by Dele Momodu, described Obasanjo as the boss of bosses in the Nigerian political space.
He declared that it would be impossible for Atiku to realise his presidential ambition on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but said Atiku’s chances of becoming President in 2019 would be bright if he contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He, however, stressed that Atiku must do everything to get Obasanjo’s endorsement, who, he said, had the magic wand and remained respected home and abroad.
“Any politician who ignores Obasanjo does so at its own peril,” Jonathan said.
“He (Atiku) can’t get the APC ticket. If Atiku gets our party (PDP) ticket, he would compete well.
“He’s always a passionate politician. But he would have to reach out to our boss, Baba OBJ, the boss of all bosses.
“We’ve all learnt at different times that you ignore OBJ at your own peril. OBJ has the magic wand, respected at home and abroad.”
THEWILL recalls that Atiku, who served as Vice-President during Obasanjo’s eight years administration, fell out with his former boss towards the end of the administration believed to have stemmed from Atiku’s antagonism to Obasanjo’s alleged third-term bid.
Atiku eventually left the PDP for the APC but THEWILL can report that he has been making plans to return to the PDP in order to vie for the 2019 presidential election against President Muhammadu Buhari, who is likely to get endorsed for a second term in the APC.
