“Obasanjo is one individual who feels his responsibility also involves choosing and imposing presidents per time as if we operate a monarchical style of governance,”
Olusegun Obasanjo has been confronted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign committee over his support of Labour Party candidate Peter Obi for the presidency (LP).
Before the 2023 general election, Obasanjo announced his support for Obi in a letter to Nigerians on Sunday.
He cautioned Nigerians from being “confused nor fooled” while choosing a candidate because Obi is qualified to lead Nigeria forward.
In response, “Obasanjo is one individual who feels his responsibility also involves choosing and imposing presidents per time as if we operate a monarchical style of governance,” according to a statement from Daniel Bwala, spokesperson for the PDP presidential campaign council.
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“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 and hence 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 favour of his choices,” the statement reads.
“A cursory look at his letter released on this day, the 1st day of January 2023, one can’t help but draw a 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 is the source of their relevance and notoriety. First of all, history is replete with his bad decisions which time would not permit us to layout 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 the person, but the right he doesn’t have is one that threatens, intimidates, or harasses citizens to support any candidate as the only means to avert danger, secession, or disintegration.
“One fact is clear, Nigerians would decide, and this they would do, based on a letter by a man seeking a third term by proxy, but by their assessment of who amongst the candidates presents the case they believe warrant 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.
