2023: Afenifere leader commends Obi’s endorsement; APC kicks, says Obj’s endorsement amount to nothing

The leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, on Monday, said failure to vote for the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the forthcoming election will land the country in trouble.

Adebanjo, who stated this in a chat with newsmen, lauded the recent endorsement of Obi by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The elder statesman insisted the decision of the group was in keeping with the principle of power shift guiding the country since its return to democracy.

Speaking on the recent endorsement, Adebanjo said it was wrong for another Northerner to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in May.

He also maintained there was no justification for the APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to contest when Obasanjo, from the South-West, was President for eight years.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council says the endorsement of Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his New Year message on Sunday will amount to nothing.

In a statement signed by Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Director of Media and Publicity, the APC PCC said, “We read with amusement the endorsement of Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party Presidential Candidate by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his New Year message on Sunday”.

The APC PCC said its reaction is due to pressure from journalists from various media houses who asked for its reaction which it obliged with this preliminary statement, though it did not consider the so-called endorsement to be of any value.

The Party says it respects the democratic right of former President Obasanjo to support and endorse any candidate of his choice in any election.

“We respect the democratic right of former President Obasanjo to support and endorse any candidate of his choice in any election.”

Adding however that except the fact he made it known formally in his new year message, any discerning political watcher in Nigeria knows that Chief Obasanjo’s preference for Peter Obi is expected and not news.

He had earlier stated his position at various public events, the last being at the 70th birthday anniversary of Chief John Nwodo, former President of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Enugu.

The party adds that its Presidential candidate, Asíwájú Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will not lose sleep over Obasanjo’s move, as Obasanjo is notorious for always opposing progressive political forces, as he did against MKO Abiola in 1993.

“We make bold to say that our party and candidate, Asíwájú Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not lose sleep over Obasanjo’s move, as Obasanjo is notorious for always opposing progressive political forces, as he did against MKO Abiola in 1993.”

“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 is a political paperweight.”

He is also not a democrat anyone should be proud to be associated with.

The party went down memory lane recalling that in the 2003 and 2007 general elections when he was a sitting President, Obasanjo used all the coercive instruments of State at his disposal to railroad people into elective offices against the will of Nigerians as expressed at the polls.

Additionally, In 2007, he declared the polls a do-or-die affair after he failed in his bid to amend our constitution to have a third term.

From available records according to the party, President Obasanjo has not successfully made anyone win an election in Nigeria since then.

Not even in Ogun State can anyone rely on his support or endorsement to become a governor or Councillor.

The APC PCC says it pities Mr Peter Gregory Obi as it is confident that Chief Obasanjo can not win his polling unit and ward in Abeokuta for Obi in the coming Presidential election on 25 February 2023.

Going Further the APC PCC adds that Chief Obasanjo’s endorsement is not a political currency Mr. Peter Obi can spend anywhere in Nigeria because he is not a political force, even in his part of the country.

Chief Obasanjo similarly endorsed Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party candidate in 2019 against President Muhammadu Buhari. Atiku was walloped by Buhari with a wide margin in the election.

“We take particular notice of the part of the endorsement statement where Chief Obasanjo said none of the presidential candidates is a Saint.”

“We want to state here that Chief Obasanjo is not a good judge of character. He is a man who considers only himself as the all-knowing Saint in Nigeria.”

“Over the years, Chief Obasanjo has also convinced himself that integrity, honesty and all good virtues begin and end with him.”