Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan eventually met on Monday evening at Obasanjo’s mansion on Presidential Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.Sources close to the Obasanjo home said the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and founder of Winners’ Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, were at the meeting at the instance of the former President as one of conditions given by Obasanjo before any meeting with Jonathan could take place .
It was learnt that the men of God were called to be witnesses of what would transpire between Jonathan and his benefactor, Obasanjo, during the meeting after the terms of the outcome of previous series of discussions between the two were allegedly not followed by the President.
It was further learnt that Obasanjo would use the avenue to ask Jonathan salient questions to the hearing of Adeboye and Oyedepo bordering on security situation of the country, his loyalists who were weeded out of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) as well as the matter concerning the South West Organising Mobilisation Committee Chairman of PDP, Prince Buruji Kashamu, whom the former President said can’t be his leader.
As of 10.19pm, there was no official comment on the outcome of the meeting.
Earlier, the social media had been awash with reports that Obasanjo, who stayed away from the Peoples Democratic Party presidential campaign at the MKO International Stadium in Abeokuta , shunned Jonathan.
Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party leaders were in the Ogun State capital to seek support for the President’s re-election bid.
The former President had made a surprise appearance at the wedding of Jonathan daughter on Saturday, thus raising hopes that their sour relationship was over.
Obasanjo, our correspondent gathered,, had left Hilltop at 2.59pm and did not return till Jonathan and his entourage retreated to the Presidential Lodge in the city around 5.30pm, after their campaign.
The President arrived at the stadium at exactly 3. 50pm and had headed straight for the state box from where he later moved out to acknowledge cheers from the crowd .
Operatives of the Department of State Security, who had earlier besieged the Hilltop as early as 6am in anticipation of Jonathan’s arrival left the place at exactly 3.36pm.
Their departure fuelled the reports that Obasanjo was not willing to receive the President. Before then, Vice- President Namadi Sambo, who was also in Abeokuta visited the Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, in his palace at Ake, without going to the former President’s home.
While addressing party supporters at the stadium, Jonathan said his administration would create eight million jobs if re-elected.
Giving the breakdown of how he would this, he said that at least two million jobs would be created each year in collaboration with the private sector.
He said, “We are out to create jobs. Our target is to create at least two million jobs every year. We are working with the private sector, including Tony Elumelu. When you hear Elumelu, you know we are talking about a serious investor.”
Jonathan, who noted that Ogun State had produced great Nigerian leaders like the late Obafemi Awolowo, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and MKO Abiola, said through his government’s vibrant industrial policy, about 56 industries had been attracted to Ogun State.
He also stated that his administration would embark on the construction of silos and other produce storage facilities across the country, including Ogun state, to enhance storage and preservation of agric produce.
The Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, had said that the PDP had been able to reduce annual expenses on food imports from N1.1tn to N697bn through a vibrant agricultural programme.
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