Wike explains that Peter Obi left PDP because it refused to agree to a southern president

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has explained that former Anambra State governor Peter Obi left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Labour Party because of moves by some politicians to ensure that the presidency remained in northern Nigeria.

 

On Saturday February 25, Nigerians went to the polls to elect a new president and Inec has subsequently declared Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner. Among the main gladiators in the contest were Asiwaju Tinubu, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, ex-Anambra State governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party and former Kano State governor Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP).

 

Governor Obi had originally been in the PDP but left just before the party's primaries after it became clear that he would not clinch the party ticket. He then stood as a Labour Party candidate in the elections, where he put up a good fight, coming third, winning in 11 of Nigeria's 36 as states and also emerging the victor in the Federal Capital Territory.

 

On Saturday March 18, there will be gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections in Nigeria and the Labour Party is expected to give the APC and PDP a good run for the money here too. Speaking when he hosted the national executive committee of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Worldwide, at Government House in Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said he feels satisfied that power has moved back to the south with the victory of Asiwaju Tinubu.

 

According to the governor, he was a major proponent for a southern president. He explained that Governor Obi took a decision to leave the PDP when former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido told him that power would remain in the north in 2023.

 

Governor Wike said: “I supported that power must come to the south. When Obi came here, I gave him all the logistics, vehicles and other support and paid for the stadium but some other persons applied and I refused. You should know me too well by now.

 

“Obi was running with us. I knew when Obi left. He was principled and he said he can’t stand it, people should say the truth. He went to see Sule Lamido in Jigawa, not in Dutse but in a village that will take you more than four or five hours drive from Dutse the capital.

 

“You know what he told Obi? He didn’t tell him that look, you came late and I have chosen somebody. He said it is the north that will produce the next president. That was how Obi left saying why is he wasting time."

 

Dr Peter Anele, the deputy national legal adviser of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said Igbos have long sought to produce the president of Nigeria and they saw the last presidential election as an opportunity to clinch it. Governor Obi is challenging the outcome of the elections in the courts.

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