By our reporter
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) has taken former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the cleaners over his endorsement, today, of presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, for next month’s presidential election.
APC dismissed Obasanjo as a political spent force, saying he cannot endorse anyone to win even Councillorship election in his native Ogun state.
The ruling party reminded Nigerians that in 2019 the same Obasanjo endorsed then presidential candidate of main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, recalling that the latter lost heavily to APC candidate and sitting president Muhammadu Buhari.
Reacting in what it called a ‘’ preliminary statement”, APC PCC’s Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, said it did not consider the endorsement to be of any value.
Asserting nonetheless that it respects the democratic right of former President Obasanjo to endorse any candidate of his choice, the party said: “Following calls by journalists from various media houses who asked for our reaction, we decided to make this preliminary statement, though we didn’t consider the so-called endorsement to be of any value.
“We respect the democratic right of former President Obasanjo to support and endorse any candidate of his choice in any election.
“Except that 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.
“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.”
APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the director stressed, will not lose sleep over Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi, describing such endorsement as worthless.
His words: “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 (the presumed winner of June 12 presidential election organized by the military) 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. We recall that in 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. 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 our records, President Obasanjo has not successfully made anyone win 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 PCC expressed pity for Obi, saying Obasanjo cannot win his local polling unit in Abeokuta for the former.
“We pity Peter Gregory Obi as we are 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.
“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.
“History will repeat itself in February as our candidate Asíwájú Bola Ahmed Tinubu will equally beat Obi by a large margin.’’
On Obasanjo’s assertion that there is no saint among the 2023 presidential candidates, APC noted that he does not have the moral credential to judge anyone.
The party stated: “We take a 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.’’
