2019: 3m already registered with my Coalition – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, disclosed that three million Nigerians had, so far registered with the Coalition Movement of Nigeria (CMN) formed to effect political change ahead of 2019.
He called citizens to ensure they have their voter cards ahead of the elections.
The former president made the disclosure at the 14th Annual Lecture of Women in Management, Business and Public Service, held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.
According to him, the Coalition in conjunction with other movements is the way out of the nation’s political problems.
Obasanjo said the movement would make an inroad into the grassroots across the country, reiterating that he would pull out of CNM when it transforms into a political party and sponsors persons for elective offices in future elections.
The former president also encouraged women to be active participants in the next political dispensation, saying, they should be ready to support the next phase of the political process.
The former president, who was a guest speaker on the theme ‘Press for Progress: Women in Politics and Nation Building’, expressed his readiness to give adequate and full support to women towards playing relevant roles in the country.
Obasanjo lamented that no woman had attained the position of an elected governor, Senate president and some other top positions in the country.
He said women should also be adequately prepared “by first putting their feet right and be willing to pay the necessary price to witness the desired change.
” “If only womanhood was enough, Mrs. Hilary Clinton would have made it to the White House, but she had a man (Donald Trump) who did what he could do to get to power.
“I don’t want or expect women to climb palm trees to harvest bunch of palm fruits.
If anybody says he wants to see my mother climb palm trees, I will take a second look at that person.
But women must do what it takes to succeed in Nigerian political space.
“To you, women, do not allow any body to build your world for you, build your world for yourself.
Yes, women need encouragement, but they must do enough for themselves.
” He urged Nigerian women to take a cue from America and prepare for politics, adding that if being a woman alone was what it took to succeed in political ambition, Hilary Clinton would have emerged the United States President.
The ex-president, noted for tackling his successors openly, recently advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019, citing poor performance.
He subsequently announced that he would form a broad coalition with the sole motive of wresting political power from the present government in 2019.