Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who had for months now made Nigerians engage in a guessing game with regard to the presidential candidate he would support ahead of the February 2023 presidential election, has finally endorsed the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned the Otta –based retired General made this known in his New Year message on Sunday which was titled ‘My appeal to all Nigerians particularly Young Nigerians’.
While noting that none of the presidential candidates can be called a saint, Obi however, according to him has an edge when compared with others in terms of knowledge, discipline and what they can offer.
‘None of the contestants is a saint but when one compares their character, antecedent, their understanding, knowledge, discipline and vitality that they can bring to bear and the great efforts required to stay focused on the job particularly looking at where the country is today and with the experience on the job that I personally had, Peter Obi, as a mentee, has an edge.
Others like all of us have what they can contribute to the new dispensation to liberation, restoration and salvaging of Nigeria collectively. One other important point to make about Peter is that he is a needle with thread attached to it from North and South and he may not get lost. In other words, he has people who can pull his ears, if and when necessary. Needless to say, that he has a young and able running mate with a clean track record of achievement both in public and private life’ Obasanjo submitted.
Reacting to this development, APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has submitted that it cannot in any way be a cause of worry saying Obasanjo’s endorsement reputation had since gotten dented.
In a statement by the Director, Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu called Obasanjo a political paperweight, who cannot ensure that the LP presidential candidate wins even at his polling unit.
‘We respect the democratic right of former President Obasanjo to support and endorse any candidate of his choice in any election.
Except that he made it known formally in his New Year message, any discerning political watcher in Nigeria knows that Chief Obasanjo’s preference for Peter Obi is expected. He had earlier stated his position at various public events, the last being at the 70th birthday anniversary of Chief John Nwodo, former President of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Enugu.
We make bold to say that our party and candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not lose sleep over Obasanjo’s move, as he is notorious for always opposing progressive political forces, as he did against MKO Abiola in 1993.
The endorsement is actually worthless because the former President does not possess any political goodwill or leverage anywhere in Nigeria to make anyone win a Councillorship election let alone win a Presidential election. He is a political paperweight.
He is also not a democrat anyone should be proud to be associated with. We recall that in 2003 and 2007 general elections when he was a sitting President, Obasanjo used all the coercive instruments of State at his disposal to railroad people into elective offices against the will of Nigerians as expressed at the polls. In 2007, he declared the polls a do or die affair after failing in his bid to amend our constitution to have a third term.
From our records, President Obasanjo has not successfully made anyone win election in Nigeria since then.
Not even in Ogun State can anyone rely on his support or endorsement to become a governor or Councilor.
We pity Peter Gregory Obi as we are confident that Chief Obasanjo cannot win his polling unit and ward in Abeokuta for Obi in the coming Presidential election on 25 February, 2023.
Chief Obasanjo’s endorsement is not a political currency Mr. Peter Obi can spend anywhere in Nigeria because he is not a political force, even in his part of the country.
Chief Obasanjo similarly endorsed Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party candidate in 2019 against President Muhammadu Buhari. Atiku was walloped by Buhari with a wide margin in the election’ the statement said.
Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has, once again, showcased ‘zigzag model’ when it comes to making a decision on the candidate he would support.
While he had ahead of the 2007 presidential election did all he could to stop the then Vice President Atiku Abubakar from succeeding him and also made him left with no option than to leave the PDP, he later had a decision-switch and endorsed him for president in 2019.
The former president also in 2011 endorsed Dr Goodluck Jonathan for president but later dumped him for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 while the Katsina born retired General had a similar experience in 2019-Team@orientactualmags.com
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