The National Chairman, Social Democratic Party, Chief Olu Falae, says he is not in talks with former President Olusegun Obasanjo as far as politics is concerned.
Falae had met with Obasanjo about two months ago where it was expected that the former President would adopt the SDP.
However, Obasanjo adopted the African Democratic Congress to the surprise of many.
Speaking with journalists shortly after meeting chairmen of 36 political parties in Abuja on Wednesday, Falae said he had only gone to see Obasanjo in Abeokuta and no one should expect any further talks.
He said, “I paid a private visit to my former boss, Gen. Obasanjo. You may not know because many of you are very young. When he was military head of state, I was his permanent secretary, working directly with him from 1977 to 1979. So, it was a semi-private visit and there is no continuing dialogue.”
The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation said the defections and crisis within the ruling All Progressives Congress was evidence that the party had lost it.
He called on aggrieved members of the APC, especially members of the National Assembly, to join hands with the SDP in moving the nation forward.
On the APC crisis, Falae said, “It means the ruling party has lost it. Many of their leaders in the legislature are leaving them. We hope they will join hands with us in looking for survival programme to move Nigeria forward.”
The former Minister of Finance also confirmed a meeting between the SDP and a former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.
He said the SDP would continue to meet with everyone that was interested in the prosperity of Nigeria.
Falae added, “Many people are talking with us. In politics, won’t you talk to everybody? We are talking to anybody and everybody. We are searching for a solution to the complex problems of our nation. In that search, we cannot ignore anybody or anyone.”
On the meeting with the 36 parties under the aegis of Committee of Concerned Political Parties, the SDP chairman said a committee had been set up to look into the problems plaguing Nigeria.
He said the committee would come up with a blueprint that would help Nigeria get out of its problems.
Falae said, “We are 36 in number and we have been consulting with one another since February this year. We are very concerned about the situation in Nigeria politically, economically, socially and in the area of security. We have identified relevant solutions to the problem of our nation and to that effect, we are going to set up a committee to work on a common blueprint for the survival, growth, progress and unity of the nation.”
Source: Punch
