OBJ loyalists in dilemma over choice of party

President Olusegun Obasanjo appear to be in dilemma over whether to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) or remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Checks by Nigerian Tribune showed that their dilemma was occasioned by the recent decision of the former leader to withdraw until further notice from the activities of the ruling party, while he remains a card-carrying member of PDP.
His loyalists have been involved in a series of meetings and debates lately in an attempt to break what appeared a logjam in their midst on whether to leave the PDP for the APC or maintain the status quo ante.
While some favour a move to the APC ostensibly because of the recent visit to their principal by leaders of APC, a number of them, especially from Ogun East Senatorial district of Ogun State, are reportedly vehemently opposed to the proposal, claiming they could not be in the same political camp with Senator Bola Tinubu.

It is also their thinking that it would be tantamount to passing a vote of confidence on the present APC administration in the state and endorsement of Governor Ibikunle Amosun for a second term in office.
Another group of loyalists of the former leader is said to be pushing for a wait-and-see attitude because of the role of a prominent figure in PDP who they claimed they could not work with.
The pro-PDP loyalists hinged their argument on the promise by the new national chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu to reconcile all aggrieved party members of the party across the country.
According to them, the leadership is already talking with Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who was removed as PDP national secretary by the BamangaTukur-led NEC of the PDP, along with Chief Bode Mustapha, who was also ousted as the PDP national auditor.
The contention of those in this category is that if Mu’azu fulfills his promise of genuine reconciliation by restating the duo, some of the major impediments that created schism between Obasanjo and the PDP top hierarchy will have been removed.
But, those advocating that status quo be maintained argued that there was no need to rush in taking any step such as joining the APC because in their opinion there was still an ample time between now and the 2015 elections to study the trend of events so as to avoid any grave error.
The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, it is argued by those in this category, ought to be given the benefit of doubt as per deliverables to the South-West, as the election year approaches, since politics is about give and take.
They also believe that some of those PDP chieftains that defected to the APC could have a rethink if Obasanjo could shift ground on some of the issues he said informed his decision keep aloof of the party’s activities.
Coupled with this is their claim that the PDP now has a listening leader at the party’s national headquarters.
Shortly after assuming office, Muazu had visited Obasanjo at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta over issues concerning the crisis in the PDP, which took a twist at the party’s mini special national convention last year.