Obasanjo to Jonathan: it is too late to support you

                                                                  APC in Ogun

The desperate battle to secure former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid may have collapsed, The Nation learnt yesterday.

Dr. Jonathan and Chief Obasanjo met for about one hour on Monday night at the former president’s Abeokuta home. The President requested for Obasanjo’s support.

“It’s too late; I’m sorry,” Obasanjo reportedly told Jonathan.

A source close to the meeting told our reporter on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the media.

At the meeting were two Christian leaders – Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and Bishop David Oyedepo of the Winners’ Chapel – who attended at Obasanjo’s request.

None of those at the meeting spoke about it, but it was learnt that it was brief because Obasanjo insisted that for him, it was too late to back Jonathan.

The former president has been a virulent critic of the Jonathan administration, which he accused of embracing corruption and burgling the anti-insurgency battle.

Jonathan replied, slamming some “elder statesman who talk like motor park touts”. He, however, did not mention Obasanjo.

Also yesterday, Obasanjo advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, to recruit “men and women of character” – if the party wins the February 14 election.

Obasanjo said such abound in all political parties and also in every part of the country, adding that they make things better for a government, the country and the citizenry.

According to the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), the advice applies to other political parties.