Contrary to the impression created by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that Dr. Peter Odili was his anointed successor in 2007, he had made up his mind months before the December 2006 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention to dump the then Rivers State Governor.
At the convention, then Katsina State Governor, late Umaru Yar’Adua, was picked as the party’s Presidential flag bearer, with the then Bayelsa State Governor, Goodluck Jonathan, as the running mate.
Yar’Adua went ahead to win the 2007 election but then Vice President took over when he (Yar’Adua) died in office.
Jonathan later contested and
won the 2011 Presidential election.
In his just published authobiography, ‘Conscience and History – My Story,’ Odili alleged conspiracy and backstabbing, detailing how the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, used spurious allegations of corruption to convince Obasanjo to deny him the PDP Presidential ticket.
Writing in the new book, Odili said towards the end of 2006, precisely December 12, “A spurious and anonymous petition was posted in the internet from a questionable ‘source’ alleging corrupt practices against the Rivers State Government
under me.
“These allegations were con
verted into a petition by the EFCC under Nuhu Ribadu’s hand, to the President same day.
“On the 13th of December, 2006, Mr. President directed EFCC to investigate. On the 14th day of December, 2006, EFCC submitted a so-called ‘interim’ report to the then President who promptly minuted for my response on the same 14th December, 2006, but forwarded to me on 15/12/06, a day to convention vide ref. PRES/44.
“I assembled what was left of my cabinet team, a few having been arrested and kept at the EFCC office in Lagos within these few days of urgent dramatic action.
“We submitted our response on the 15th day of December, 2006, by which time it had become clear what the whole exercise was about – ‘Get Odili out of the race for the Presidency, at all cost.’
“This became lucidly clear with the instant release of my staff who were being detained in Lagos by the EFCC as soon as I voluntarily and wisely withdrew from the contest.
“There was jubilation at the EFCC office immediately the news of my withdrawal broke and all my staff were asked by EFCC to go home immediately,” Odili wrote.
But an insider who was privy to the political intrigues of the Obasanjo era told Daily Independent on Sunday that while Odili was correct in his narrative, Obasanjo had made up his mind long before December 2006, to drop him (Odili).
“I was in Ota to see Obasanjo three or four months before the PDP National Convention and he was livid with rage. We were watching AIT, which was airing Odili’s visit to the Southwest in pursuit of his Presidential ambition.
“If you remember, the AIT, which is owned by Raymond Dokpesi, who was in charge of Odili’s Presidential campaign was permanently airing his political campaigns.
“Odili had just visited Lamidi Adedibu, the late strongman of Ibadan politics and Obasanjo was very angry, complaining that Odili was moving around the country, giving money to traditional rulers and party chieftains like Adedibu,” said our source.
“I was taken aback by his vehemence and I reminded him that the impression out there was that Odili was his anointed successor and that if he was withdrawing his support, he should talk to him so that he will stop wasting his money.
“But Obasanjo vowed he would not stop him. When I asked him how he got to know that Odili was giving money to Northern traditional rulers, he told me that I shouldn’t forget he was the President and had intelligence report.
“When I was leaving, I pleaded with him again to talk to Odili, but he refused, vowing that he would teach him the political lesson of his life,” our source recalled.
The source said he went to see a chieftain of the party from Edo State in Abuja to relate his encounter with Obasanjo in Ota and his suspicion that the former President may have withdrawn his support for Odili without the latter knowing.
“I went to the chieftain because he was close to both Odili and Obasanjo and was in fact one of those creating the impression that Odili had been anointed by Obasanjo.
“I told him about my encounter and the very strong sentiments Obasanjo expressed against his supposed godson and told him I was convinced Obasanjo was no longer supporting Odili.
“I advised him to talk to Odili to meet Obasanjo for a discussion so that he will stop wasting his money. He promised to discuss with Odili but I don’t know if he ever did.
“So, Odili was right in his narration but my guess is that it was Obasanjo who told Ribadu to cook up the spurious allegations which he used as alibi to stop Odili.
“Obasanjo is an evil man, who is not capable of any good,” the source added.
After Odili’s withdrawal from the Presidential primaries, he was summoned to Aso Villa on the morning of December 16, the day of the PDP Convention, by Obasanjo, who promised him after the morning prayers at the Villa that he (Odili) would be made Yar’Adua’s running mate.
Odili said when he went to meet Yar’Adua he ominously discovered that a conversation among the gathered party bigwigs such as Chief James Ibori, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and Nasir el-Rufai immediately ceased.
Yar’Adua took Odili upstairs to introduce him to his wife, Turai and assured him of his happiness at the prospect of theirworking together.
Then Yar’Adua and Odili went together to the Eagle Square, the venue of the Convention, and walked round the square.
Odili said he was even privileged to see the typed copy of Yar’Adua’s prepared acceptance speech where “it was clearly stated that he had nominated Dr. Peter Odili as his running-mate for the Presidential race.”
It was around 3.30 a.m. that Odili was informed that some fresh information just received from Ribadu would lead to Yar’Adua dropping him as the running mate.
In the end Yar’Adua read a handwritten acceptance speech that excluded Odili’s name, only adding that further consultations were being made on the vexed matter of his running mate.
It was later in the evening of December 17, 2007 that Dr. Jonathan’s name manifested as the running mate of Yar’Adua.
Our source again confirmed that Odili’s account was correct except for Igbinedion’s presence at the meeting.
“Again, Odili was right, except that Lucky Igbinedion was not at that meeting. Every other person he mentioned in the book was present. Obasanjo only used Ribadu to accomplish his evil political goals. Now that Odili has written, it behoves the other characters, particularly el-Rufai and Ribadu to also write and disprove him if they have contrary views.”
