PHOTOS: Hours After Obasanjo’s Endorsement, Peter Obi Visits IDP Camp In Abuja
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Dr. Peter Obi appears to be one of the most trending politicians at the moment following the controversial endorsement of former president Olusegun Obasanjo.
Obasanjo had on Sunday in a New Year letter to Nigerians described the former governor of Anambra state as the right man for the plum job and urged Nigerians to elect him as president.
Shortly after the endorsement went viral, the Labour Party candidate was sighted at the IDP Camp in Abuja where he was mingling with displaced persons at the Apo Resettlement Area of the FCT.
Speaking at the camp on Sunday, Obi said his visit was not to campaign but to spend the first day of the New Year with the displaced persons and ascertain their condition of living.
He expressed dissatisfaction at the deplorable state of the camp and the displaced persons and restated his promise to tackle insecurity if elected as President in 2023.
Obi said Nigerians should not be displaced in their fatherland and be left to wallow in poverty, reiterating his position that Nigeria itself is an IDP camp.
The former Governor of Anambra State donated food items and cash of N1.5m to the camp which is bereft of basic life amenities such as a standard basic healthcare center, and school among others.
The visit seems to be the confirmation of some of the reasons for Obasanjo’s endorsement.
In the letter, Obasanjo stated that Obi has an edge over other presidential candidates in terms of knowledge, discipline, vitality, and character. He called on Nigerians to vote for the LP standard bearer in the February 25 presidential election.
He said, “None of the contestants is a saint but when one compares their character, antecedents, 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 collectively contribute to the new dispensation to liberation, restoration and salvaging of Nigeria. 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. He has a young and able running mate with a clean track record of achievement both in public and private life.”
Obasanjo buttressed his choice of Obi with the argument that the aspiration to lead the country should be a collective quest and not a personal or selfish ambition.
The former President described Obi as his mentee, stressing that he has respect for all the presidential candidates
