A former President, Olusegun Obasanjo is reportedly out to woo the North for the presidential ambition of flagbearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Sources that spoke with Telegraph claimed that the elder statesman has met with various individuals and critical groups in the North to support Obi.
A chieftain of a prominent group in the North who spoke with the platform on condition of anonymity said, “It is true that former President Olusegun has commenced visits to numerous personalities and groups in the North to drum up support for the Peter Obi and Datti Baba- Ahmed presidential ticket in the North. This fact I can confirm.”
The source further stated that the move by the former president has yielded minimal fruits because the people of the region are wary of the possibility of an Obi Presidency to the long-time interest of the region (North).
The source further stated, “Baba (Obasanjo) has been visiting people here in the North to market the candidature of the Labour Party, telling the people and the groups that he has visited to consider the likelihood of the Presidency going to the South East next year.
“He has been telling us that Obi would not do anything to injure the interest of the North if considered by our people to become the President. He told us that a similar thing had happened in the past that didn’t injure the interest of the North.
“Our people told Baba that the issue of secessionist agitation in the South East is a source of worry to them.
“Baba replied by saying the militant agitation in the South-South died down and has never reared its head again since Jonathan became president. He (Obasanjo) told stakeholders that the emergence of Obi would halt the agitation.”
Another source said Obasanjo is not making serious headway in his efforts owing to what he termed age-long suspicion that the North has for the South East but that “things might eventually change before the election. We still have several months ahead before the election.”
