Sleepless Nights Beckon For Obi’s Opponents As Elder Statesmen Endorse His Presidential Ambition (OPINION)

By Isaac Asabor

Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) is arguably the most discussed and endorsed politician in Nigeria at the moment, especially due to matters of President Muhammadu Buhari’s succession. In fact, not a few news platforms carry headlines bearing his name with each passing day, and with favourable media mention.  Whether that is the news platforms’ opinion or the opinion sponsored by Peter Obi’s campaign team is indeed not clear! But it is very clear that Journalists and writers, and professionals in other fields of human endeavours just voluntarily keep writing and saying good things about his presidential ambition, particularly as to his leadership prowess, without being hired or paid to do that.

Against the backdrop of favourable mentions and endorsements that Obi is unarguably gaining from a wide spectrum of Nigeria’s population, particularly from elder statesmen, he has unarguably been facing “resistance” and malice from his political rivals, some kinsmen, particularly among the elites, and even from his “political friends.”

While it is germane for some of the good things said about him by not a few elder statesmen to be mentioned in this context, it is expedient to say that an elder statesman is an old and respected politician or former politician who still has influence because of his experience.

There is no denying the fact that the recent endorsement that the former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo accorded him, and made known to the public through a letter he addressed to Nigerian youths, titled “My Appeal to all Nigerians, particularly young Nigerians,” described Peter Obi as “a needle with thread attached to it from North and South and he may not get lost.”

The letter reads, “I am constrained to write this letter to all Nigerians especially young Nigerians, friends of Nigeria globally as well as our development partners because of the gravity, responsibility, and implications of the collective decision Nigerians, both young and old, will be making within the next two months.

“Our leaders have done their best, but their best had turned out to be not the best for Nigeria and Nigerians at home and abroad.  For most Nigerians, it was hell on earth.

“I have come to realize a number of factors in character, attributes, and attitude that are necessary in the job of directing the affairs of Nigeria successfully and at a time like this. These characteristics or attributes are many but let us be mindful of some key ones together.

In the long letter where insights into the leadership strengths of both Mr. Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), respectively, were thrown into, the highly revered elder statesman said “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. Needless to say that he has a young and able running mate with a clean track record of achievement both in public and private life.”

In fact, since the former president endorsed Peter Obi as his preferred candidate ahead of the presidential election that is scheduled to hold on February 25, 2023, it is obvious that not a few political opponents of the Labour Party candidate have been having sleepless nights, and rattled going by the kind of disrespectful comments and invectives they have literarily been pouring on him.

Ostensibly infuriated by toxic reactions that have been trailing Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi in his letter, the former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), who is unarguably an elder statesman commended him for the endorsement of the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The highly respected elder statesman wrote on Twitter: “Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo will forever be a true elder statesman and a boss in the military. No serving General in the Nigerian Army today joined the military earlier than 1982. By then, Obasanjo had already finished his military career. I respect him a lot, with his endorsement.”

In a similar vein, elder statesman and leader of the South-South geo-political zone, Chief Edwin Clark, has equally endorsed Obi, for the 2023 Presidency through an announcement, on Tuesday, at a media briefing in his residence. in Abuja.

The 96-year-old leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) said his endorsement of the former Anambra State governor followed a thorough examination of his plan for the country by the forum.

He noted that Mr. Obi’s pathway to sustainable development is commendable just as his desire to carry along people from the Niger Delta in his governance, and added that the youths would be the greatest beneficiary of the Peter Obi administration.

Chief Clark also said giving the opportunity for a south-easterner to lead the country would give true meaning to the former head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s mantra after the civil war of “No Victor, No Vanquished.”

Still, in the same vein, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has backed Obi, in the upcoming 2023 elections. His endorsement of the presidential aspirant came barely 48 hours after Obasanjo endorsed the former Anambra State governor in a six-page letter.

It will be recalled in this context that Governor Ortom is one of five disgruntled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors known as the G-5 or Integrity Group.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, to Governor Ortom, Terver Akase, said in a statement issued, on Tuesday, that the governor “strongly recommends Peter Obi to Nigerians as the man with the capacity to effectively tackle the country’s economic, security, and other challenges.”

The governor, according to Mr. Akase, believes Peter Obi “possesses the qualities of a leader who will be a true President of this country by ensuring justice, equity, and fairness for all Nigerians.”

According to Governor Ortom, the President Nigeria requires at this “challenging time” in its history is one who recognizes the urgent need to unite the people and quickly initiate policies and actions to re-direct the nation’s ship on the path of growth and development. According to him, Peter Obi has all those qualities.

Ostensibly mocking Obi’s opponents and traducers that have, by all indications, begun to have sleepless nights over his endorsement by the former president, a former Kaduna senator, Shehu Sani has asked those who could not get former President Olusegun Obasanjo to seek the support of other former military leaders.

Sani, who made the assertion in a tweet via his verified Twitter handle on Monday, stated, “Obasanjo has made his choice. He is entitled to his opinion. He should not be attacked.

“Those who can’t get his endorsement should seek that of Gowon, IBB, or Abdulsallam, they are equally credible former military and political leaders. Ordinary President of Berekete is also available,” he added.

Against the foregoing backdrop of endorsement galore for Obi, there is no denying the fact that his opponents and traducers will be having sleepless nights ahead of the presidential election that is scheduled to hold on February 25, 2023.