FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has debunked claims by Bola TInubu’s supporters that he has endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate.
The former Lagos state governor, alongside Ogun State governor Dapo Abiodun and other members of the APC paid a courtesy call on Obasanjo at his residence in Ogun on Thursday.
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Although details of what transpired in the more than an hour closed-door meeting were not made public, Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila, who was at the meeting, told journalists on Friday that Obasanjo has assured Tinubu of victory in 2023.
He said Obasanjo made encouraging statements about Tinubu’s aspirations and even prayed for the APC presidential candidate.
“When we were going to Obasanjo’s house, we were eight, including Asiwaju Tinubu and me; we didn’t want many people to know about the meeting. So, we were to meet Obasanjo and five others from his side,” he said.
“But when we eventually got there, we met something pleasantly shocking; a mammoth crowd of our supporters were already at the former president’s house waiting for us.
“So, Obasanjo told Asiwaju Tinubu to pick three people from his side and that he would pick three from his side to meet behind closed doors.
“So, I, Chief Osoba and Chief Akande and Asiwaju went from our side. My people, what I heard there, what Obasanjo said, the victory of Asiwaju is assured.
“Obasanjo spoke at length and we were all happy. He embraced our candidate like a brother, gave him a pat on the back, and prayed for him copiously.”
However, Obasanjo, in a statement by his spokesperson, Kehinde Akinyemi, on Saturday, expressed dissatisfaction with the unauthorised disclosure of what transpired during the meeting.
He said the statements allegedly credited to him were false and that the people behind the report were not helpful to the candidate.
“Those claiming to be insiders at the meeting issuing statement on the discussion and those crediting to me statement I had not made are enemies of the visitor and are not doing the visit any good,” he said.
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