FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo says he can only be removed as chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with strict adherence to the party constitution.
Obasanjo, who has been in the eye of the storm over the enormous powers of that office, argues that any other means adopted by anybody to oust him would amount to illegality.
He spoke with journalists yesterday at the Edo State Government House, Benin City, when the state governor, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor hosted him on his return from Delta State where he had gone for a meeting on the forthcoming national convention of the party.
A group of 21 party chieftains, addresses as ‘G-21’, led by former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, is calling for the removal of Obasanjo as PDP’s BOT chairman. The group wants President Musa Yar’Adua in control of the party.
But an unperturbed Obasanjo said his chairmanship of the Board is a constitutional issue, which he does not have power over.
The former president, however, denied knowledge of any crisis in the party in the state. “I don’t know there is crisis in Edo State; you are just telling me. As far as I know, the two people I will ask what the state of the party in Edo State is, have not told me there is crisis and the two people are the state chairman and the governor.
“And, in the same way, probably, if you want to know the step of the PDP nationally, you probably ask two or three people. They are the national chairman, the president, who is the leader of the party and probably, you may ask the chairman of BOT and whatever they tell you, you may take it or if you wish, you may not take it.”
He said Governor Osunbor’s leadership of the party in the state was in line with the party constitution, which also provides that President Umar Musa Yar’Adua is the leader of PDP in the country.
Obasanjo called on the governor and all stakeholders to make the coming ward congress harmonious and allow democracy to prevail.
While assuring the former President that the party congresses in the state would be peaceful and congenial, Osunbor called on him to plan a formal visit to Edo State in no distant time.
Nonetheless, notable leaders of the party in the state shunned Obasanjo’s visit to the state capital on his way to Delta.
Conspicuously missing among them were the immediate past chairman of the party BOT, Chief Tony Anenih, Senators Isah Braimoh and Odion Ugbesia of the Edo North and Edo Central senatorial districts respectively; other members of the National Assembly from the state and members of the state House of Assembly.
They are believed to be loyal to Anenih, who is said to be positioning his men to take control of the executive in the coming ward, and local government congresses.