Obi: APC, PDP attack Obasanjo over endorsement

… endorsement has no electoral value – PDP

The endorsement of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party, by former president Olusegun Obasanjo has no electoral value, according to Kehinde Bamigbetan, the Deputy Director of Public Affairs for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, and Anthony Ehilebo, his counterpart for the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council.

According to the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organization, Olusegun Obasanjo is expressing his personal preference for Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate.

Kola Ologbondiyan, the organization’s spokesperson, claimed in a statement released in Abuja that Obasanjo’s demand did not represent the viewpoint of the vast majority of Nigerians in the nation.

Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, a former minister of external affairs, and Dr. Usman Bugaje, a former representative, both voiced their disagreement with the former president’s views in an open letter that was published yesterday. In the letter, he publicly declared his support for the LP standard bearer, something he had been doing covertly during the previous few months.

In contrast, Bugaje expressed skepticism about Obasanjo’s counsel and claimed that his track record did not inspire confidence.

He said: “First, President Obasanjo is entitled to his opinion. He can make his choice and he can decide to make his choices public as he has done in this case. I don’t know the objective criteria for his decision.

“Before you take what somebody says, check the person’s record.  For me, Obasanjo’s record doesn’t encourage me to take whatever he says.

“I was at the National Assembly when he attempted to extend his tenure by changing the constitution.  We had to stand up to him in that respect.  So, for me, I can’t find his endorsement trustworthy.”

“What I think we should be doing now, is to set agenda on issues that should guide the voters. We are almost at the precipice”. Bugaje added.

Also, in response to the former president, according to a statement from Daniel Bwala, the spokesperson for the PDP presidential campaign council reads: “Obasanjo is one individual who feels his responsibility also involves choosing and imposing presidents per time as if we operate a monarchical style of governance,” according to a statement from Daniel Bwala, spokesperson for the PDP presidential campaign council.

“He believes he is the only former leader who knows what is right for Nigeria, and who has the celestial powers to predict the future of Nigeria and its leadership. He believes it is only his administration that has done well and hence the authority to choose the next leader or president. His way of choosing the next president is either to blackmail the incumbent or denigrate candidates in favour of his choices,” the statement reads.

“A cursory look at his letter released on this day, the 1st day of January 2023, one can’t help but draw a deduction of a man who believes so much in himself. His entire letter is riddled with me, my and I. Even when he made references to candidates, he assumed he is the source of their relevance and notoriety. First of all, history is replete with his bad decisions which time would not permit us to layout in this article, but suffice to say that his records and official acts were and still are antithetical to democratic ideals.

“The democracy we practice recognizes the participation of people in government and electioneering processes. He has the constitutional right to choose whoever he likes and support the candidacy of the person, but the right he doesn’t have is one that threatens, intimidates, or harasses citizens to support any candidate as the only means to avert danger, secession, or disintegration.

“One fact is clear, Nigerians would decide, and this they would do, based on a letter by a man seeking a third term by proxy, but by their assessment of who amongst the candidates presents the case they believe warrant their votes. The letter is not new, and the content is not surprising, but it seems his legacy betrays his assertion in the letter. Baba OBJ Nigeria has moved on, please allow our democracy to grow and respect the will and wishes of the Nigerian people.”