The Deputy Director, Public Affairs of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Kehinde Bamigbetan, and his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Cuncil, Anthony Ehilebo, have said that the endorsement of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has no electoral value.
The APC and PDP chieftains made this known in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Monday morning, monitored by our correspondent.
Bamigbetan said that Obasanjo’s endorsement would not change anything adding that the former president is entitled to his own personal opinions.
He further stated that Obasanjo would not be able to deliver his polling booth to the Labour Party candidate, Obi.
“Obasanjo endorsing Obi makes no difference. We have seen it coming and we are not surprised that he took that step because we have seen the signs. It will not translate to votes because Obasanjo said it. He (Obasanjo) will not even be able to deliver his polling booth in Abeokuta to Obi.”
When asked if the endorsement had any electoral value, Bamigbetan said, “It has no electoral value. We know it is a project that he (Obasanjo) has been working on for the past two, three years and it will soon blow up in his face.”
Similarly the PDP campaign council member, Ehilabo, said that nobody would notice Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi.
Ehilabo said, “Nobody is going to know what Obasanjo says, his opinion would not even be heard in my village. It’s not going to sway any votes. He is an opinion leader, he is entitled to his opinion.
“The pragmatic choice for Nigerians would be who can get us out of this position and who has done it before.”
It was earlier reported on Sunday that Obasanjo in a letter to Nigerians endorsed Obi as his choice candidate for president ahead of the 2023 presidential election in February.
In the 2023 New Year message signed by the former President and made available to newsmen by his aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo described Obi as his mentee and said the former Anambra State governor had an edge in the 2023 elections.
Obasanjo said, “None of the contestants is a saint but when one compares their character, antecedent, 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.”