2023: Obasanjo endorses Peter Obi for president
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has endorsed Peter Obi of Labour Party as his preferred presidential candidate for 2023 general election.
Obasanjo disclosed the endorsement in an open letter he tittles “MY APPEAL TO ALL NIGERIANS PARTICULARLY YOUNG NIGERIANS” issued on Sunday.
He said that he was constrained to write the letter to all Nigerians especially young Nigerians, because of the gravity, responsibility and implications of the collective decision Nigerians, would be making in elections within the next two months.
Obasanjo said while non of the presidential candidates is a saint he believed Obi would not get lost because there were people across the country who could call him to order.
“We need selfless, courageous, honest, patriotic, in short, outstanding leadership with character and fear of God beyond what we have had in recent past.
“None of the contestants is a saint but when one compares their character, antecedent, their understanding, knowledge, discipline and vitality that they can bring to bear and the great 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.
“Others like all of us have what they can contribute to the new dispensation to liberation, restoration and salvaging of Nigeria collectively.
“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 clean track record of achievement both in public and private life.”
Obasanjo said that the last seven and a half years have no doubt been eventful and stressful years for many Nigerians as they have moved from frying pan to fire and from mountain top to the valley.
He said that the country ‘s leaders had 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. Those of us who are alive should thank God for His mercies, brace ourselves for the remaining few months of this administration and pray and work very hard for an immediate better future – future of liberation, restoration and great hope and expectation.”
As political parties continue their campaigns, the ex-president advised Nigerians to be cautious, not to be fooled again.
Obasanjo said he had interacted with the major contestants with claims be to do what he did during his Presidency and to take Nigeria back to where it was at the height of his Presidency and immediately after.
Obasanjo said he was pained that most of them do not realise that the Nigeria of today had been dragged down well below Nigeria of the beginning of my Presidency in June 1999.
“Although at that time, Nigeria was in very bad shape and was tottering on the verge of collapse and break- up.
“Even then, Nigeria was not faced with the level of pervasive and mind- numbing insecurity, rudderless leadership, buoyed by mismanagement of diversity and pervasive corruption, bad economic policies resulting in extremes of poverty and massive unemployment and galloping inflation.
“For these reasons, I kept pointing out to them that the instruments used in 1999 to 2007 and methodology used will grossly be inadequate for the perilous situation we now find ourselves.”
He advised Nigerians to watch out for four factors in those seeking to lead Nigeria by 2023 elections. The factors according to him he termed ‘TVCP”
“Track record of ability and performance; Vision that is authentic, honest and realistic; Character and attributes of a lady and a gentleman who are children of God and obedient to God;
“And Physical and mental capability with soundness of mind as it is a very taxing and tasking assignment at the best of times and more so it is at the most difficult time that we are.
“Let me say straight away that ‘Emi Lokan’ (My turn) and ‘I have paid my dues are one and the same thing and are wrong attitude and mentality for the leadership of Nigeria now.
“They cannot form the new pedestal to reinvent and to invest in a new Nigeria based on an All-Nigeria Government for the liberation and restoration of Nigeria.
“Such a government must have representation from all sectors of our national life public, private, civil society, professional, labour, employers, and the diaspora. The solution should be in ‘we’ and ‘us’ and not in ‘me’ and ‘I’.
“Mind you, I reiterate that no human being is an angel let alone a Messiah, but there are elements of these attributes and on comparative basis and by measure of what we know of, and what some of us have experienced from the front-runners, we must assess judiciously and choose wisely.
“ If anybody claims he or she has anything to the contrary, it will be up to him or her to prove to us,” he said.
He advised Nigeria youth together and take charge, and bring about a truly meaningful change in their lives.
“If you fail, you have no one else to blame. Your present and future are in your hands to make or to mar. The future of Nigeria is in the same manner in your hands and literally so.
“If for any reason you fail to redeem yourself and your country, you will have lost the opportunity for good and you will have no one to blame but yourselves and posterity will not forgive you.
“Get up, get together, get going and get us to where we should be. And you, the youth, it is your time and your turn. ‘Eyin Lokan’ (Your turn).”
He added: The power to change Is in your hands. Your future, my future, the future of grandchildren and great grandchildren is in your hands.
“Politics and elections are numbers game. You have the numbers, get up, stand up and make your numbers count.”
Obasanjo said Nigeria had no business with insecurity, poverty, insurgency, banditry, unemployment, hunger, debt, division and disunity.
He said the country was in those situations because advertently or inadvertently, the leaders had made the choices, done the best they could do, hence they should be allowed to take their rest and enjoy their retirement as Septuagenarians or older.
“I became Head of State at 39 and at 42, I had retired into the farm. When it was considered necessary, I was drafted back into active political life after twenty years of interregnum.
“I came back at 62 and by 70, I was on my way out. Others like General Gowon and Enahoro became national leaders at 33 and 27 respectively and General Gowon at the helms of leadership of Nigeria at the highest level.
“The vigour, energy, agility, dynamism and outreach that the job of leadership of Nigeria requires at the very top may not be provided as a septuagenarian or older. I know that from personal experience.
“And it is glaring out of our current experiences. Otherwise, we will be fed with, “The President says” and we will neither see nor hear him directly as we should.
“Yes, for some, age and physical and mental disposition are not in tandem. But where and when they are with obvious evidence, they must be taken into account for purpose of reality.
“And yet it is a job in our present situation where the team leader or captain of the team should be up and doing, outgoing inside and outside and speaking to the nation on almost daily basis visibly and as much as possible interactively and meeting his colleagues all over the world on behalf of Nigeria.
“Youth of Nigeria, your time has come, and it is now and please grasp it. If not now, it will be never.
“I appeal to you to turn the tide on its head and march forward chanting ‘Awa Lokan’ (Our turn) not with a sense of entitlement, but with a demonstrable ideological commitment to unity and transformation of Nigeria.”
He advised various ethnicity groups in Nigeria to agree to move forward together in mutual forgiveness, one accord, inclusive society, equality and equity.
“ Together and without bias and discrimination, fear or favour, we can have Nigeria of one nation in diversity, in truth and in practice.
‘ Let us honour, cherish, respect and even celebrate our diversity which is the basis of our potential greatness and strength.
“If we will only continue to harp on wrongs done by each of us individually or collectively. We will never be able to stand together.
“ If we will continue with wide brush to paint a national or sub-national group as bad and never to be trusted with leadership because of past error or mistakes that some of them were responsible for and treat their offspring as inheritors, it will amount to great injustice that will surely lead to no peace, no security and no stability for development and progress.”