Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday endorsed the Labour Party standard bearer, Peter Obi, saying he had an edge over other presidential candidates in terms of knowledge, discipline, vitality and character.
The elder statesman, therefore, called on Nigerians to vote for the LP standard bearer in the February 25 presidential polls.
But his endorsement attracted angry reactions from the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance and the African Action Alliance which described his support for Obi as worthless.
In the 2023 New Year message signed by the former President and made available to newsmen by his aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo described the last seven years of the Buhari regime as horrible and hell on earth for most Nigerians.
‘Endorsement not important’
Speaking in a telephone conversation with The PUNCH, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba said, “What is important is the endorsement of the Nigerian people. The endorsement of an individual no matter how highly placed does not translate to victory at the polls.
“As a former President, Chief Obasanjo has the right to endorse any candidate of his choice but we are very excited with the outpouring of support coming in for our candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
“The issues on the ballot are comatose economy, insecurity, hardship and despair in the land. The nation requires a steady hand, a man of experience and vision to address these challenges. What the country needs today are not men sharing their experiences at the state level. While we agree that these other candidates boast of experiences as governors in the past, none of them come close to what Atiku has.’’
He added, “Our candidate was chairman of the National Economic Council that midwifed several initiatives and reforms that culminated in the reduction of the unemployment rate to seven per cent, banking sector consolidation, the revamp of the telecom sector that has today given millions of Nigerians opportunity to own mobile telephones.
“Atiku is an investor in education and what he has done over the years in other sectors is remarkable. As a party, we are not in any way disturbed by the endorsement because we know it will amount to nothing.’’
On his part, the spokesperson of the PDP Campaign Council, Senator Dino Melaye said, “Baba Obasanjo is talking his age. America, the most civilised democracy on earth, voted for over 70-year-old man.
In a statement he signed and made available to the media on Sunday, Ologbondiyan said, ‘’The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation says the subjective support for the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by former President Olusegun Obasanjo is his wish which does not reflect the opinion or position of the overwhelming majority of Nigerians across the country.’’
The SDP National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba said if anything, “Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi has enhanced the chances of our candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, considering that he ticks the boxes as espoused by the former president, Baba Obasanjo.”
He declared, “Prince Adewole Adebayo undeniably meets the Southern presidency advocacy of many as led by the former president and many other prominent national leaders. Adebayo meets the boundless and essential energy requirement for the top job; he meets the requirements of the deep grasp of transformational leadership and development issues, vision and soundness of mind, as well as the character and integrity quotient as listed.’’
For the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Oye, Obasanjo’s support for the former Anambra State governor would not deter Nigerians from voting for the party’s candidate, Justice Peter Umeadi.
