Presidential Candidate Nigerians Should Vote For- Obasanjo.Presidential Candidate Nigerians Should Vote For- Obasanjo.
Since the flag off of political activities towards the 2023 general election, virtually every candidate vying for the position of President of Nigeria has visited Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria to have meetings with him and to seek his support towards actualizing their ambition.
Most of his meetings with each of the presidential candidates had been behind closed doors with the result that Nigerians had been left wondering what Obasanjo told these candidates when they visited him.
As these candidates visited Obasanjo justling for his endorsements, l believe Obasanjo might have examined each of them and wondered which one is strong and equipped enough to bring Nigeria out of her numerous challenges.
As a stakeholder in the Nigerian dream, he has expressed his dissatisfaction with the present state of things in Nigeria and wants Nigerians to get it right in the choice of a leader in the 2023 general election.
Obasanjo, whilst speaking during the 15th edition of Wilson Badejo’s Foundation Annual Lecture with the theme: “Overcoming The Twin Challenges of Poverty and Insecurity in Nigeria”, had this to say:
“Nigeria is not where it is supposed to be today. If anybody says it is Ok where we are at the moment, then the person’s head needs to be examined.
Each of the contenders for the office of the president of Nigeria believes that after meeting with Obasanjo, they have his blessings and support.
For instance, after Abubakar Atiku visited Obasanjo on the 26th of February 2022, he later told journalists on Arise T.V on the 22nd of July,2022:
“I have been talking to Olusegun Obasanjo, l assume l have his support, l don’t think he has a better partner to support than myself because l have his legacies to continue”.
But Obasanjo’s remarks at Abeokuta during his interaction with students from selected schools that participated in the final National Exhibition and Awards, organized by Students For The Advancements Of Global Entrepreneurship seemed to negate Atiku’s statement.
According to Obasanjo:
” One of the mistakes that l made was picking my number two when l wanted to become president. But because it was a genuine mistake God saved me ”
Recall that Atiku was Obasanjo’s Vice President during his eight-year rule between 1999 and 2007.
After visiting and meeting with Obasanjo at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, to canvass support for a president of South Eastern extraction, members of the Political Action Committee(PAC) of Ohaneze Ndigbo said Obasanjo told them, courtesy of Ndigbo Spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia:
” The next president of Nigeria must come from the South East. The least minimum is a president from the southern part of Nigeria”
Alex Ogbonnia quoted Obasanjo to have stressed the need for morality, equity, and justice in a multi-ethnic,multi-religious, and multicultural country like Nigeria, warning that ” it is inconceivable to have peace and progress in a country that is rooted in injustice”(Check Vanguard report of 11th May 2022).
Obasanjo has not come out to admit or refute Alex Ogbonnia’s statement.
On the 18th of August, 2022, after a closed-door meeting between Obasanjo and Tinubu Gbajabiamila, whilst reporting on the outcome of the meeting had this to say:
“He(Obasanjo) made encouraging statements about Tinubu’s aspiration and even prayed for the APC presidential candidate.
Continuing Gbajabiamila says thus:
“Obasanjo spoke at length and we were all happy. He embraced our candidate like a brother, gave him a pat on the back, and prayed for him copiously”
But Obasanjo through his special assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi refuted endorsing Tinubu. ln his reaction he had this to say:
“Those claiming to be insiders at the meeting issuing statements l had not made are enemies of the visitor and are not doing the visit any good”.
The question is this, who is Obasanjo’s preferred candidate amongst the various presidential candidate?
Who should Nigerians vote for to be their next president in the 2023 presidential election?
Obasanjo has sounded a note of warning during the 15th Edition of Wilson’s Badejo annual lecture with the theme”Overcoming the Twin Challenges of Poverty and Insecurity in Nigeria, on the need for Nigerians to choose wisely.
According to Obasanjo:
“It is either we make the right choice in 2023 because if we make the right choice, we would get there. However, if we do not make the right choice in 2023, things would consume us and we pray against that one. We must make the right choice in 2023.”
Who should Nigerians vote for?
Obasanjo has refused to name names contending that what he owes Nigeria is” sincerity, objectivity, and guidance”.
Although we have not been able to get an open endorsement of any of the candidates vying for the number one seat in Nigeria, we however can figure out who his preferred candidate is by recourse to the speech he made on his 85th birthday with the theme: “Africa Narrative With The Nigeria Situation”.
Having read the speech over and over again, below represents what l have been able to glean as to whom Nigerians should vote for.
According to Obasanjo:
basanjo has refused to name names contending that what he owes Nigeria is” sincerity, objectivity, and guidance”.
Although we have not been able to get an open endorsement of any of the candidates vying for the number one seat in Nigeria, we however can figure out who his preferred candidate is by recourse to the speech he made on his 85th birthday with the theme: “Africa Narrative With The Nigeria Situation”.
Having read the speech over and over again, below represents what l have been able to glean as to whom Nigerians should vote for.
According to Obasanjo:
According to Obasanjo:
“If we look hard, widely, and fairly, and we bring objectivity, national interest, and patriotism to bear, and which must be spiced with equity, integrity, and performance, then no region or zone should claim to have a monopoly of Nigerians that can lead us along the path of nation building on the bases of justice, fast economic development, inclusive growth, shared values and our rightful place in the global division of labor and decision-making process.
