Tinubu asks Obasanjo, Babangida to join retirees club

Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), has asked former military President Ibrahim Babangida and ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo to join the club of retirees.

Tinubu said this on Tuesday while addressing state house correspondents at the end of a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Bisi Akande, former interim chairman of the APC, accompanied Tinubu to the meeting.

Asked to react to the advice the former presidents that Buhari should not run in 2019, Tinubu said: “I don’t address those shadows. We should let our former presidents join retirees’ club and take pensions but they can participate in our politics if they are interested. It is a free world but this freedom is not served a la carte but they should allow us to move our country forward. It is a challenge to every Nigerian.”

He also spoke of the new assignment from the president.

Last week, Buhari appointed Tinubu to reconcile all aggrieved members of the APC.

“Well, l feel greatly honoured with the mutual confidence that the president has reposed in me which is a very strong political challenge. We have started in earnest. He has given me free hand to put coercion, confidence and trust in the party,” he said.

“Democracy is about conflict resolution process. You can’t do it without resolving conflicts. We can’t build it without understanding the conflicts and sources where we are coming from. But we want to leave the country with a legacy. It’s not about Mr President. That is what he’s telling the country.

“It’s about our country and no other choice to democratic tenets than through political party platforms.”