Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi has dismissed growing speculation that former President Goodluck Jonathan could threaten his chances in the 2027 presidential election.
Obi made the statement on Tuesday after completing a marathon presidential screening exercise at the national secretariat of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Abuja.
The screening reportedly lasted more than two hours.
Reacting to rumours that Jonathan may contest under the Peoples Democratic Party, Obi said he was not focused on who plans to run against him.
“Democracy is about people offering themselves for service and being voted for. I’m not in any way going around looking for who and who is contesting. I’m concentrating on how to build a better Nigeria,” Obi said.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate said his priority remains fixing insecurity, rebuilding the economy, fighting corruption and restoring national unity.
According to him, Nigeria must become a country where citizens can travel safely without fear and where parents no longer panic when their children leave for school or work.
Obi also used the opportunity to attack what he described as the current political culture in Nigeria, accusing many politicians of caring more about elections than governance.
“Politicians are preoccupied with the next election when Nigerians are dying. That must stop,” he stated.
He further lamented worsening poverty in the country, saying millions of Nigerians now struggle daily to survive.
“So many Nigerians today go to bed not knowing where the next meal will come from tomorrow. That must change,” he added.
Speaking on the lengthy screening process, Obi described it as “democracy in action,” saying the party was trying to ensure aspirants truly meet constitutional requirements and can defend their vision for the country.
The former governor also denied reports claiming he had already emerged as the party’s consensus presidential candidate ahead of 2027.
According to him, the party only recently opened nomination forms and no final decision has been made.
Obi arrived at the screening venue dressed in his trademark black kaftan and cap and was accompanied by Senator Victor Umeh.
The screening panel was chaired by former governor Sam Egwu alongside other notable political figures including Buba Galadima and Ikeddy Isiguzo.
With political activities already heating up ahead of 2027, Obi’s comments are likely to spark fresh debate over who eventually becomes the strongest opposition challenger in the next presidential election.
ALSO READ: “Court Asked To Stop Jonathan From Contesting 2027” — Ex-President, AGF Fight Back
No comments:
Post a Comment
Join the conversation by leaving a comment below. Keep it respectful, relevant, and on-topic - we love hearing from our readers!