Dr. Peter Odili, was my first choice of running mate for late Yar'adua - Obasanjo

Obasanjo (L), Jonathan (R):

Another intriguing excerpt from the “Against The Run of Play” book authored by the Chairman of This Day Editorial Board, Mr. Segun Adeniyi, has revealed that the immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan was not ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo's first choice as running mate for the late Umar Yar’adua.
He said that the two term governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, was actually his first choice as Yar’adua’s running mate.

He said he had to settle for Jonathan because of some difficulties.

He said: “Jonathan was not my first choice as running mate to Yar’Adua; it was Dr. Peter Odili. But whether by fate or some conspiracy, Odili had hurdles that made it impossible for him to take that position. That was how I settled for Jonathan.”

While commenting on his support for Yar’Adua emergence he responded by saying that Yar’adua’s response to two clarifications he posed to him convinced him.

“One, the lingering doubts about his health, while the other was a very pervasive allegation that he had a manipulative wife who had too much influence on him,” Obasanjo said.

He added that Yar’adua dismissed the allegation against his wife.

On his health, Yar’adua handed Obasanjo the medical report he sought from him.

“Not being a medical practitioner, I gave the report to a friend and renowned professional in the medical field who reviewed it and told me that the person in the report was not on dialysis, which meant either he didn’t have a kidney problem or that he had successfully undergone a kidney transplant. That was the report I had about his health,” Adeniyi quoted Obasanjo as saying.




The book launch is currently  holding at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos.