Some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) want punitive measures taken against President Olusegun Obasanjo for anti-party activities.
Proponents of this line of action believe that Obasanjo should be punished for the open letter he wrote to the president while other advised that he be ignored so as not to create unnecessary tension in the polity.
A member of PDP’s National Working Committee, who spoke anonymously said, “Left to me, no individual should be bigger than the party. It is either you have a disciplined party, or no party at all.
“Would Obasanjo have tolerated what he is doing to the President while he was there? Any serious party must have disciplined members, particularly now that we are approaching an election year.
“There should be no sentiments about this issue. No individual, I repeat, no individual, no matter how highly placed, should be above the party’s discipline.”
Speaking on the issue via telephone, PDP’S Deputy Chairman, Disciplinary Committee, Ebenezer Babatope, said the party’s internal challenges were being blown out of proportion.
He said, “Parties do have conflicts; it is the ability of the party to get over those conflicts that makes the party a strong one.
“As far as we are concerned, as members of the PDP, we have challenges of people going away, but they are challenges to spur us into more action to get us more prepared for 2015.”
Meanwhile, another member of the PDP who also spoke anonymously noted that
“President Jonathan has instructed his aides and party leaders against making comments about the disagreement between him and Baba (Obasanjo).
“Whether we like it or not, Obasanjo has earned a position in our polity. He deserves some respect despite his shortcomings. There is no plan to punish him. Many of us believe that he should be allowed to remain in the party.”
Obasanjo, an erstwhile Chariman of the PDP’s board of trustees had on December 2,2013 stirrred the hornet nest when in an open letter he accused the president of tribalism, corrupt practices and sowing the seed of discord across the nation.