I Have No Special Candidate For 2023, Says Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said yesterday that he has no preferred choice among the presidential candidates for the 2023 general election.

Instead, the former Nigerian leader noted that he has a national agenda he is pursuing for the interest of Nigeria.

He stated this while addressing journalists in Minna, the Niger State capital, during his visit to two former Nigeria leaders, Generals Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd) and Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) at their hilltop residence.

Obasanjo’s denial of having a special presidential candidate is coming barely a week after his recent consultations in London with frontline presidential candidates, governors and former governors in what has been described as political alignment and realignment ahead of the 2023 polls.

Specifically, Obasanjo had on Thursday led the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to meet with Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, in London.

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The trio met alongside Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke.

The former president whose residence in Otta, Ogun State, is always a Mecca of some sort to candidates every electioneering season had earlier met with Obi and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu, in Nigeria.

In Minna yesterday, Obasanjo spent less than one hour in General Abdulsalami’s house before proceedings  to IBB’s house, about 500 metres away.

Specifically, Obasanjo who arrived at Abdulsalami’s house about  12.30 pm and went into a closed-door meeting with him, left at 1.13 pm to IBB’s house where he spent more time before departing Minna  about two hours later.

Though details of his meeting with the duo was not known, a reliable source hinted that Obasanjo “discussed his proposed “National Agenda” which is aimed at disallowing certain people from becoming president with Abdulsalami and IBB.

After the meeting with IBB, Obasanjo told journalists in a short interview that contrary to speculations that he had an anointed candidate, he has no special choice for the 2023 presidential poll.

“I do not have a special candidate. I only have a national agenda”, he stated, adding that his national agenda will soon be revealed.

Obasanjo said he was in Minna to see General Abdulsalami who just came back from a medical trip abroad.

The former president said, “I came to see my brother who has been a little indisposed. When he was in London, I had wanted to visit him but the day I arrived in London was the day he left. So, that is why I decided to come and see him at home. He is very special and I am still strong to visit those who are special to me.”