The Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday said the endorsement of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, is personal and does not reflect the wishes of the majority of Nigerians.
The main opposition party said Obasanjo’s position remains individualistic and cannot redirect Nigerians from their determination to rally with the more experienced, more proficient and more accepted Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
Spokesperson of the Atiku/Okowa campaign organisation, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement, said the support of the former president for Obi is subjective and would amount to nothing at the end of the day.
The statement read, “The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organization says the subjective support for the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by former President Olusegun Obasanjo is his personal wish which does not reflect the opinion or position of overwhelming majority of Nigerians across the country.
“While former President Obasanjo is entitled to his personal opinion; as remarkable as it may appear, it remains individualistic and cannot redirect Nigerians from their determination to rally with the more experienced, more proficient and more accepted Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, to rescue and rebuild our nation from the APC misrule.
“What is surprising to majority of Nigerians is that in the face of the alarming challenges facing the nation, which requires a tried and tested hand, former President Obasanjo is suggesting a candidate that has not had any experience in governance at the national level.
“In any case, Chief Obasanjo’s opinion cannot sway Nigerians who can easily remember how he endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari, whose administration, he (Obasanjo) now describes as “stressful years for many Nigerians,” during which our nation “moved from frying pan to fire and from mountain top to the valley.”
“Atiku remains the most widely accepted candidate, whose choice is not predicated by sectional, tribal, ethnic or religious sentiments or the endorsement of any individual, high or low, but by record of ability and performance, authentic vision, honesty and character; physical and mental capacity; the very indices set by the former President.”
Also former minister and diplomat, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, dismissed Obasanjo as a leader responsible for Nigeria’s predicaments.
Akinyemi advised the elder statesman to emulate his colleagues – former military rulers – Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar – who are in retirement.
Akinyemi said, “Some of us believe that President Obasanjo was one of the foundational problems that this country had. One of the things I said is that once you have occupied the post of the president and you have served your term, leave, and be like Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar. Just be quiet. You have had your term and let others get on.
“But for you to create problems for us and then come back and present yourself as a problem solver, I find that difficult to swallow.”
