Chidi Samuel || Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday evening visited former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at his country home in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, South-South, Nigeria.
Obasanjo is in Bayelsa for a three-day visit at the invitation of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson who was marking his six years anniversary as governor of the oil-rich state.
The elder statesman in the company Governor Dickson was received by Jonathan and his wife, Patience.
Obasanjo was Jonathan’s nemesis in the 2015 presidential election following a fallout between a ”godfather and his godson.
Many political watchers believe that the visit is an attempt at re-alignment of forces by political gladiators for the fight to unseat incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 elections.
It will be recalled that in his widely circulated letter calling on Buhari not to run for a second term, Obasanjo had praised Jonathan, describing him as a ”born again” politician and partner who has a role to play in the effort to move Nigeria forward.
Obasanjo wrote, “Even the horse rider then (Jonathan), with whom I maintain very cordial, happy and social relationship today, has come to realise his mistakes and regretted it publicly and I admire his courage and forthrightness in this regard.
“He has a role to play on the side line for the good of Nigeria, Africa and humanity and I will see him as a partner in playing such a role nationally and internationally, but not as a horse rider in Nigeria again.”
The coming months will show whether Jonathan will be a willing partner in Obasanjo’s new coalition.