Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State on Friday begged former President Olusegun Obasanjo over the lingering rift between the two.
The rift between Obasanjo and Daniel had polarised the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun with a group loyal to Obasanjo and the other loyal to Daniel.
The situation degenerated into two primaries that were conducted by the party in the state.
While a former military governor of Oyo State, Chief Adetunji Olurin, emerged as the governorship candidate in Obasanjo’s faction, Mr. Gboyega Isiaka emerged in Daniel’s faction.
The apology by Daniel followed the intervention by a legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola, who led others at a meeting, held at the Abeokuta residence of the former president.
The meeting, which started at about 2 pm, lasted till 5.45 pm. Daniel, while responding to journalists’ questions on whether he apologised to Obasanjo, said, “I apologised to Baba Obasanjo and I will continue to apologise.
“Let me say this to you, I am a true Yorubaman and in Yorubaland, it doesn’t matter who is right or wrong, it is the younger person that will beg the older person. I have begged Baba and I will continue to beg Baba.
“In all things, we must give thanks to God. I think what has happened here today is the manifestation of the work of God. I want to seize this opportunity to thank all the elders and also thank Baba (Obasanjo) for the opportunity of this meeting.”
The governor, while responding to some of his members, who defected from the PDP to the Peoples Party of Nigeria, said the process of reconciliation had just begun with the settlement.
He described the people who left the PDP as those who were aggrieved, adding that they would soon be reconciled with the party.
He said, “I have no doubt in my mind that we can work things out and I think what we have started today is a manifestation of better things to come.
“As you have always been aware, a large number of our supporters fell disenchanted, but I think if you go to war, we have to sit down and find a peaceful solution and that is what we have started today.
“I have no doubt in my mind that we will talk to ourselves to ensure that the PDP remains strong and united. And you know there was never a time that I left the party. The people who left felt aggrieved and we have started the process of reconciliation.”
When asked who the governorship candidate of the party in the state is, Daniel said, “Of course, Olurin is the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state.”
Obasanjo told journalists that he had forgiven Daniel, saying, “You know one thing, if you are a true Christian, your prayer will be, ‘Our father, who hath in heaven, hallowed be thy name, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who offend us…’”
As Obasanjo tried to end the recitation of the prayer, Daniel jokingly interjected, saying, “You should add: Deliver us from evil.” Obasanjo added, “As I pray God to forgive me my sins, and I forgive people who sin against me, and particularly those who ask for forgiveness, and then I ask God that he should deliver me from evil, and deliver those who sinned against me.”
Babalola said, “The various frictions within the PDP today have been finally solved. Daniel will be at the airport tomorrow to receive the President. I am happy that all the problems have been amicably resolved.”
Others who attended the meeting were the Olubara of Ibara, Oba Omolade Jacob; a business mogul, Chief Adebutu Kessington; and former chairman of Police Trust Fund, Chief Kenny Martins.
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