Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo is doing a disservice to Nigeria by asking the electorate to vote for the Labour Party presidential standard-bearer Peter Obi in the forthcoming poll to elect a successor to President Muhammadu Buhari, says the Peoples Democratic Party.

The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation says the endorsement of Mr Obi by the ex-president did not reflect the opinion or position of the overwhelming majority of Nigerians across the country.

The PDP campaign organisation stressed that Mr Obasanjo’s endorsement could not redirect Nigerians from their determination to rally with the “more experienced, more proficient and more accepted presidential candidate of PDP,” Atiku Abubakar. 

Mr Abubakar served two terms of four years each as a vice president in Mr Obasanjo’s government. There was a falling out between the duo later during their second term.

“Our campaign holds that none of the presidential candidates has the experience, capacity, tenacity of purpose, presence of mind and readiness to serve like Abubakar,” stated the PDP campaign in a statement on Sunday.

The campaign statement insisted that Mr Abubakar “remains the most widely accepted candidate, whose choice is not predicated by sectional, tribal, ethnic or religious sentiments or the endorsement of any individual, high or low,” the PDP campaign organisation added. “This is predicated by (a) record of ability and performance, authentic vision, honesty and character; physical and mental capacity; the very indices set by the former president.”

It stressed every claim by Mr Obasanjo on the success of his administration reflected the performance of Mr Abubakar as the vice president and the chairman of the National Economic Council.

“It, therefore, amounts to a disservice for the former president to make a subjective suggestion. This is even when it is clear that if a hand like Abubakar, with their shared experience, is brought to the forefront of governance, our nation will be rescued from this current sullen state,” the PDP campaign asserted.

The PDP campaign team urged Nigerians not to be distracted by Mr Obasanjo’s “subjective” opinions, advising them to remain focused on the resolve to salvage the nation by electing Mr Abubakar as the next president on February 25. 

(NAN)