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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has commended members of the League of Northern Democrats for their initiative in conceiving the group but quickly advised the group to expand itself beyond a regional grouping to that of a national one.
President Obasanjo said this while receiving a 20-man delegation of the League led by its chairman, former governor of Kano State, Sen, Ibrahim Shekarau, in his Abeokuta Presidential Library Complex yesterday.
In a statement made available to newsmen by the league, Obasanjo said: “Anytime you people metamorphose into a League of Nigerian Democrats, come back to me and I will be your patron. I share your concern of the situation in Nigeria, but if you’re a National League, I will join you and even be your Patron if I cannot be active because I’m getting old.”
The former president said with the caliber of membership of the delegation, he is confident something good will come out of it.
He thanked Shekarau for his commitment, commended the group for taking the trouble to come to Abeokuta in spite of the hash economic situation in the country. He also commended Dr. Umar Ardo for the foresight of convening the group.
Earlier, Shekarau informed President Obasanjo that the group was with him to tap from his wealth of experience in governance and leadership.
In his vote of thanks, the Secretary of the group, Emmanuel Jime, thanked God for the life of President Obasanjo who he described as the most nationalistic and detribalized Nigerian alive.
In another development, a former Chief of Army Staff and former Minister of Defense, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, has warned that the standard and quality of political leadership in the country is declining at an alarming rate. He warned those in authority to take immediate steps to stem the tide.
General Danjuma stated this when he received the Delegation of the League of Northern Democrats who called on him at his Ikoyi Residence in Lagos.
In his words: “leadership quality in Nigeria is going down and down and down”. He said the situation is worse in the North. He urged leaders to sit up and stem the worrisome tide.
He advised the League of Northern Democrats to pursue their vision with measured doggedness because they are up against a section of a corrupt political class with plenty of power and money that will be ready to fight back to continue being in power.
The leader of the Delegation and former Kano State Governor, Sen. Ibrahim Shekarau, earlier said their visit was to brief Gen. Danjuma on the vision and mission of the League which include principally to influence the emergence of credible leadership, most especially in the North, by forging unity among the various interest groups in the North, facilitate for a credible leadership recruitment process across all offices and make the North a bloc of first influence in Nigeria.
Shekarau said right now the North is immersed in insecurity and backwardness in education, economy and in general development.
He said the League of Northern Democrats is intensifying contacts and consultations with eminent statesmen to tap into their vast knowledge on politics and leadership which are crucial to society.
In his response General Danjuma said while age is not on his side, he however commended the League for this initiative and its commitment, and promised to support the group where he can.
The general, who became emotive when Muktari, the son of late Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was recounting the events of January, 1966, said the late Sir Abubakar was truly a great man.
It can be recalled that the league was convened in July and since then it has been engaged in several activities, making consultations and trying to define itself.
It gained good grounds with the former Vice President Namadi Sambo, General Martin Luther Agwai, General AbdulRahman Dambazau, General Alwali Kazir, and a host of other critical northern leaders.
And its membership has increased exponentially.
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