At Meeting with Delegates, Obi Urges Support for Candidate With Track Record

•Osinbajo informs APC House caucus about ambition over dinner

Deji Elumoye in Abuja and  Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

A presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, yesterday, appealed to party faithful to prevail on the leadership to support the candidate with a proven track record and not one who would make empty promises.

This is as the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, hosted the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus in the House of Representatives to Iftar (break of fast) at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

Obi, who made the appealed when he met with the Edo State PDP delegates at the party’s secretariat in Benin City, said he had a proven track record as governor of Anambra State and that Nigerians could verify his claims.

“I am appealing to you, let us change Nigeria by ensuring that our party brings out a competent, credible candidate with a proven track record and not grammar, not say I promise this. Luckily, Edo State is not far from Anambra State.

“I have Anambra people here, ask them, most of them will even tell you that they are not happy with me, because I can tell you the problem I had with them when I was a governor and which will likely happen maybe with the political elites if I become president.

“The big ones may not be happy with me but you, you will be, because I will make sure that the right thing is done. We must pull out our children from poverty by supporting micro, small-medium businesses,” he said.

Obi, who said Nigerians now lived in fear due to the level of insecurity in the country, noted that all these narrowed down to leadership failure, adding that something urgent needed to be done to correct the situation.

According to him, “We now live in a country, where we wake up every day to sad news. You might think it is not happening in Benin, some of us think it is not happening in Lagos, some people think it is not happening in Enugu or Akwa Ibom but I assure you, unless you do something, it will happen in those places.

“What we are witnessing in Nigeria today, is a cumulative effect of leadership failure over the years and it is going to go round,” he maintained.

Responding, the Edo State chairman of the party, Tony Aziegbemin, promised to go out of their way to support his presidential ambition

Earlier, Obi was at the Edo State Government House, where he met Governor Godwin Obaseki, and stated  the need for Nigerians to make sacrifices for the country to overcome its current challenges and make progress.

On his part, Obaseki said Nigeria needed unity and a country, where everyone feels part of the country and have access to opportunities like every other person in the country.

“As we approach the 2023 elections, we must realise the need for unity and for us to preserve our country. All parts of this country must feel included in the politics,” Obaseki said.

Meanwhile, at the meeting with APC House caucus led by the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon Idris Wase, Osinbajo formally informed the federal lawmakers of his presidential ambition and also sought their support towards the realisation of his political ambition.

At the end of the session which lasted over two hours, neither the vice-president nor Wase spoke to the press on the outcome of the meeting.

Rather, the duo walked briskly to their official vehicles with their aides and colleagues in tow.

Osinbajo had on Sunday and Tuesday met with the Progressives Governors’ Forum and the APC Senate Caucus, respectively, where he informed them of his plan to run for president in 2023.

The vice-president, however, on Monday made public via social media platforms, his intention to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in office.