I’m Ready to Work with President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu – Olisa Metuh

Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, on Sunday claimed that the party he dedicated years of service to and endured ten months in prison for turned its back on him during his time of need.

Speaking at a thanksgiving service to mark his 60th birthday, Metuh said only President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, reached out to him during what he described as the worst period of his life.

Metuh expressed disappointment that the PDP, which he had labored for, failed to offer support during his trials. Despite this, he pledged to assist President Tinubu’s administration in any way he can, emphasizing his readiness to contribute positively to the government.

He said, “My trial was one of the worst things that happened to me. The day I was convicted I celebrated. There has also been good times and God has brought good people close to me. People that have shown me love and care. One of the people that has shown me love is the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma.

“All my life I gave it to PDP. Fashola was my classmate in law school, he would call me to come and take land in Ikoyi, Lagos and I will say how can I take land from APC, I was very dedicated to the PDP. I cannot when I am PDP.

When we lost election and the President now wanted APC to have the Senate President and Speaker, he called several times. He kept on saying he wanted to work with me and I refused.

When I had problems I did not see my party, I did not see the people I suffered for. I did not see my party. I was in the court, with my family. But in the midst of that, somebody who I criticized so much reached out to me.

“President Tinubu was the head of the opposition then, every week we must find something to criticise him with. In the middle of my problem, he sent the Speaker of the the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to come and see me.

“He reached out to me, he comforted me and he did a lot of things for me then and this was someone who was my political enemy. So I say today, that it is really not were you sow that you will reap, it is where God said you will reap that you will reap.

Politically I am now active and anywhere the Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma goes, there I shall go too.”

While admitting that Nigeria was facing some challenges, Metuh promised to contribute his own quota to grow the nation’s democracy, saying, “I am trying to make sure that I assist the government at the centre, the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to deliver the goods, the dividends of democracy.

“I have seen the steps, I have seen the challenges, and as a patriotic Nigerian, I want to join hands in resolving those challenges. I wish PDP well, I gave my life to PDP. But I have moved on, and I wish them well.”

The former PDP spokesman said he believed there are a lot of credible people in the opposition, who will make sure Nigeria does not become one party state.

“There are a lot of credible citizens, Atiku Abubakar is a very credible person. Peter Obi is a very credible person. David Mark is very credible. There are a lot of people,” he said.

Metuh said he was invited several times by President Tinubu to join the ruling party but declined, adding, “It took me a long time to get involved in politics. I’ve been called several times.

The president wanted to work with me. Even in 2015, when we lost the election, I didn’t bother. He reached out to me again.
When I left politics in 2022, he called me to come into his party. And I refused. After he won the election, I went to see him.

He called me to enter the party that he needed me. He needed the kind of things that we could do. I refused because I stopped politics.

“Now that I’m in politics, I want to help. Maybe I could be a good voice on this side. To ensure that the polity is good. Like I explained to you, we need space in our democracy. BBWe need to grow it. We need vibrant opposition. We need people to express their views. We need to do all sorts.”

The thanksgiving service was attended by y Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, former President of the Senate, Anyim Pius Anyim, former governors of Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States, Okezie Ikpeazu, Sam Egwu and Ikedi Ohakim, as well as Senator Victor Umeh and Tony Nwoye, former Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha was also present among others.

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