The choice of former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, as the running mate of the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has caused quite a stir in South-East geo-political zone, but in this interview with NIYI BELLO, Anambra State chairman of the party, Ndubuisi Nwobu, justifies the choice, describing it as the most reasonable.
What is your take on the choice of former governor Peter Obi as running mate to your party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar?
In fact, that action is the most reasonable decision by our party’s presidential candidate, His Excellency, former Vice-president Atiku Abubakar and the PDP national hierarchy. The South-East has been very supportive of the PDP family. You reward people for their efforts, you don’t reward them for their inability to do what is right.
So, the choice of Mr. Peter Obi by our party’s presidential candidate is a reward to the people of Anambra State and, indeed, the entire South-East for their support to the PDP. We all know that the arrowhead of PDP formation was the late former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme, and he hailed from Anambra State. So, by this gesture of PDP presidential candidate in picking someone from
Anambra as his presidential running mate, PDP has deemed it fit to say ‘Thank you, Dr. Alex Ekwueme’. It Shows that PDP has really realised the major role he played in its formation and that his contributions helped in making it the largest political party in Africa.
Besides, Mr. Peter Obi has an excellent antecedent. He is very focused and a great manager of wealth. We all saw what he did when he was governor of Anambra State for eight years. Also, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is someone who is greatly endowed with what it takes to give good governance to Nigeria, so as to bring the country out of the current socio-economic and political quagmire APC government has thrown the country into, given the experiences he had gained when he was Vice-President of this country. Again, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is a great wealth creator. And Mr. Peter Obi has a deep insight into the economy of this country. So, I view Atiku/Obi presidency as the best thing that can happen to the people of this country at a time it is in a mess.
Do you think PDP would have an edge over other political parties in the state in next year’s elections?
We allowed internal democracy to prevail during our primaries. Other political parties, especially APGA and APC did the opposite. They allowed godfathers to hijack their primaries, and imposed candidates on their parties. Again, PDP had been in the affairs of this country until APC took over after the 2015 general elections. And our people have now tasted the two parties, and, they have seen the difference.
They have seen that APC is a party that promises, but denies its promises. But PDP keeps its promises; that PDP was able to keep this country together showed that leadership in this country can be done in a detribalized manner. PDP had shown that no matter whose ox is gored – whether the person is in your party or not, if he or she goes against the laws of this country he or she will be brought to face the law. PDP had shown that the economy of this country could be sustainable. And all these have been lost since APC took over the running of affairs of this country in 2015. And we have been telling Anambrarians in particular and Nigerians in general to give PDP a chance once more and you will find that all the current hydra-headed problems facing the country in all spheres of life will become a thing of the past.
APGA recorded overwhelming victory during the last gubernatorial poll. What gives you hope that PDP will alter the equation in the coming election?
The outcome of the last gubernatorial election in the state is not a good index for predicting the possible outcome of the coming general election in the state. Politics is local. What made APGA and its candidate, the incumbent governor, His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano, achieve that 21-over 21 victory in that governorship election had come and gone.
I can bet you that the same thing will not apply in the forthcoming general elections. I can assure you Anambrarians are going to look at the various candidates who are contesting elections for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and the Senate and vote for the candidates and the party that can attract democracy dividends to them. And they know that anybody who gets to the National Assembly after the coming general elections under the banner of the APC, his or her voice will be lost. And when you are unable to speak, how can you be able to bring democracy dividend to your people.
And Anambrarians appreciate the fact that where they have a better opportunity now is in PDP. So, the are going to cast their votes for only PDP candidates for State Assembly, House of Representatives and the Senate.
Again, let me remind you that one of the major factors that influenced the governorship election was the quest by the people of Anambra South Senatorial zone to produce the governor of the state as soon as possible. And because they had this fear that since our party candidate, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, might want to go for a second term since he will be serving his term if voted for and that he might want to go for a second term after completing first term, they decided to support APGA candidate, Obiano, because they knew that he cannot go for another term. So, the people of South Senatorial zone saw supporting APGA candidate as the fastest way for them to produce governor based on rotational considerations.
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