The PDP Campaign Council claims that Obasanjo is running for a third term through Obi.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has been lambasted by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign committee for endorsing Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi.
In a letter to Nigerians that MandyNews.com was able to obtain on Sunday, Obasanjo expressed his support for Obi ahead of the general election in 2023.
The political and military leader of Nigeria, who presided over the country as its head of state from 1976 to 1979 and then as its president from 1999 to 2007, urged Nigerians not to make a “confused nor gullible” decision when casting their ballots because Obi has what it takes to lead Nigeria on the right path to development.
Daniel Bwala, a representative for the PDP presidential campaign committee, responded in a statement by claiming that Obasanjo is:
“One man who believes his role also includes choosing and imposing presidents per time as if we run a monarchical system.”
“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, thereby giving it 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 favor of his choices,” the statement reads.
“A cursory look at his letter released on this day, the 1st day of January 2023, can’t help but draw the 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 was the source of their relevance and notoriety. First of all, history is replete with his bad decisions, which time would not permit us to lay out 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 that person, but the right he doesn’t have is one that threatens, intimidates, or harasses citizens into supporting any candidate as the only means to avert danger, secession, or disintegration.
“One fact is clear: Nigerians would decide, and this they would do, not on the basis of a letter from a man seeking a third term by proxy but by their own assessment of who among the candidates presents the case they believe warrants 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.”
The opposition party went on to say that voters in Nigeria will not select a candidate based on Obasanjo’s endorsement, but rather on that candidate’s ability to address the issues facing the nation.
Obasanjo, who was a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member from 1999 to 2015, supported the Atiku and Obi presidential ticket in 2019 without any problems.
