Of What Value Is Obasanjo’s Endorsement Of Peter Obi?

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former military Head of State and the first democratically elected president of Nigeria in this Republic has in a New Year letter to Nigerians endorsed Mr Peter Obi for President.

Obasanjo is known as an avid public letter writer. Not one to sit on the fence, Obasanjo has never been shy of taking a stand publicly on matter of concern. This latest letter, released on New Year Day has joined a long list of letters by the former president, and like previous letters, this has generated mixed reactions.

In the letter titled, “My Appeal To All Nigerians Particularly Young Nigerians”, Obasanjo took cursory look at the presidential candidates, and came to the conclusion that the former governor of Anambra State who is the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi is the best among the lot vying to serve as president of Nigeria. By so doing, he has formally endorsed Peter Obi as his preferred candidate and urged all Nigerians, particularly the youth to support Obi in the drive for a new Nigeria.

In the letter, Obasanjo gave reasons why Peter Obi is by far better than the other candidates.

“None of the contestants is a saint but when one compares their character, antecedent, their understanding, knowledge, discipline, and vitality, 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. “One other important point to make about Peter is that he is a needle with thread attached to it from North and South and he may not get lost. “In other words, he has people who can pull his ears, if and when necessary. He has a young and able running mate with a clean track record of achievement both in public and private life.”

The endorsement of Obi by Obasanjo has been dismissed by the presidential campaign offices of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as inconsequential. The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation dismissed the endorsement of Obi as the ‘subjective support for the LP presidential candidate’, by Obasanjo which does not reflect the position of an overwhelming majority of Nigerians across the country. This was contained in a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Atiku-Okowa Campaign Organisation, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja. He said, “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.”

Also, the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the APC described the endorsement of Peter Obi by Obasanjo as worthless. The Director of Media and Publicity of APC PCC, Bayo Onanuga in a statement said the ruling party respected the democratic right of the former President to support and endorse any candidate of his choice in any election. Onanuga stated that “The endorsement is actually worthless because the former President does not possess any political goodwill or leverage anywhere in Nigeria to make anyone win a Councillorship election let alone win a Presidential election. He continued, “Obasanjo is a political paperweight.”

Is Obasanjo endorsement really ‘worthless’ and ‘paperweight’ as claimed by the Tinubu’s spokesman? If APC’s assertions were true, why did the Tinubu presidential campaign in August seek the blessings and support of Obasanjo? It is common knowledge that after Tinubu and his entourage visited Obasanjo in his home in Abeokuta, Ogun State, they leaked the news that the former Lagos governor had been endorsed by Obasanjo. Media report had it that House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila who was on Tinubu’s entourage had told journalists in Lagos that Obasanjo made encouraging statements about Tinubu’s aspiration and even prayed for the APC presidential candidate. He added that Obasanjo assured Tinubu of victory at the polls. This alone goes to show that Obasanjo’s endorsement is worth something, if not, why crave for it? Piqued by the circulation of his endorsement of Tinubu, Obasanjo formally denied reports that he endorsed the presidential ambition of Tinubu.

In a statement by Obasanjo’s Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, the former president said the statements coming from those claiming to be supporters of Tinubu are unhelpful. He said the discussion during the visit was “more brotherly than political.” Obasanjo’s aide further said the former President has neither agreed nor disapproved of Tinubu’s ‘request’. “Those crediting to me statement I had not made are enemies of the visitor and are not doing the visit any good.”

From the statement, Obasanjo revealed that he neither agreed nor disapproved of Tinubu’s ‘request.’ What ‘request’ could Tinubu and his entourage had made from Obasanjo whose endorsement is ‘worthless?’

The PDP that was dismissive of Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi still celebrates Obasanjo’s endorsement of their presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 2019. Whenever Atiku’s spokesmen are on television and they are confronted with allegations of corruption made against their principal by Obasanjo in his book, “My Watch” they are quick to remind who cares to listen that it was not true, after all Obasanjo endorsed Atiku in 2019.

Having been a democratically elected president of Nigeria and lived in the Presidential Villa for eight uninterrupted years, Obasanjo, talking from experience, is more than qualified to assess presidential candidates and pick who he thinks is the best for the job, but then, the final decision is that of Nigerian voters. And it is to them that Obasanjo’s letter is directed.

Meanwhile, this column wishes all its readers resounding success, peace and prosperity in the year 2023!

As you read our first column of the year, I wish you and yours peace and security. I wish you safety from kidnappers and freedom from the machinations of evil people. May you and yours never encounter evil doers throughout this New Year! Amen!

MAY NIGERIA REBOUND