By Peter Moses
Abeokuta
A political group, the Northern Leaders’ Youth Forum (NLYF), at the weekend accused some aides of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, for scuttling reconciliation moves between him and his former boss and ex-President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Forum backed the position of a former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, on the strength and status of Obasanjo in the country’s political strata, saying that it was high time Atiku purged himself of those aides if his presidential ambition would come into a reality.
In a statement signed its President, Comrade Elliot Afiyo in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, the group expressed concern that two reconciliatory meetings had been facilitated between Atiku and Obasanjo but the former VP’s aides prevailed on him not to show up.
According to the statement, it is not late for Atiku to mend fence with Obasanjo in the pursuit of his presidential bid and he should apologise to him if need be.
The statement read in part: “Twice we had made moves to reconcile him with Baba (Obasanjo), but twice he had failed. He, Atiku is not that hard to bend, but, his so called loyal aides have been responsible for those failed times we agreed.
“For the records, we make bold to say that those two times were in Nigeria and outside Nigeria, yet at the last minute, Atiku would bow to his aides and will not come. We want to appreciate Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for hitting the nail on the head.
“It is not too late; we are going to build on the suggestion of the former President Jonathan to reach out to Atiku again for the reconciliation. Baba Obasanjo is the most forgiving person for those who are close to him. When you are wrong or make mistakes he will naturally chides you.”
Continuing, it read: “And it is for you to go back to him to apologise and promise not to repeat the mistake. He will surely forgive. That is Baba Obasanjo for you. But, when your aides are telling you to do without him, then according to Jonathan you are doing so at your own peril.
“NLYF is using this opportunity to call again on Atiku, irrespective of his aspiration or ambition to do away with his aides’ hard stance and seek the reconciliation with Baba Obasanjo and our doors are wide opened to be the channel for such.”
