The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has finally reacted to the endorsement of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi by former president Olusegun Obasanjo.
Ikeja Bird recalls that the elder statesman had in a New Year message and letter on Sunday, January 1, 2023, endorsed Obi, a former governor of Anambra state, describing him as a leader whose “vision is authentic; honest and realistic.”
“None of the contestants is a saint but when one compares their character, antecedents, 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,” part of the letter said.
However, PDP was not comfortable with the endorsement and described it as “worthless.”
In a statement by its campaign spokesperson, Kola Ologbodinyan, on Monday, January 2, the opposition party said it was shocked that Obasanjo “is suggesting a candidate that has not had any experience in governance at the national level.”
It also emphasised that former president and PDP presidential standard bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakr, remains the “most widely accepted candidate.”
“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,” Ologbodiyan said.
Meanwhile, Obasanjo’s letter has raised a whirlpool of reactions from the camp of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
