- Obi’s track record has mass appeal — MBF
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain and former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido says Peter Obi will enjoy his full backing in 2027 election if he emerges as the new Coalition’s Presidential candidate
Lamido was responding to a question on his likely support for Obi, who is offering to serve a single four-year term if he wins the 2027 presidential polls.
He said, “If the coalition produces Peter Obi or anyone else committed to rescuing Nigeria, I will support them. But I will remain PDP.”
Lamido, who was also a Foreign Affairs Minister between 1999 and 2003, further stated thus; “We should have outgrown tribal and regional sentiments. Leadership should be about competence and vision, not geography.
“What has the North gained from producing the most presidents if the region remains underdeveloped? I’m open to any arrangement that can confront the APC and rescue Nigeria. I’ll support those who share that goal.”
According to him, zoning between the North and South was a creation of the PDP designed to solve a specific problem which was the annulment of the June 12 election.
“It (zoning) was meant to be a healing mechanism, a temporary measure to restore trust. But now, it has become an albatross”, Lamido, who was also a Foreign Affairs Minister between 1999 and 2003, said.
Peter Obi’s Promise Keeping Record Excites MBF
With the opposition massing against the President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), given Peter Obi’s track record of keeping to promises, the North must stick with him and his promise to serve one term in office if elected President of the country in 2027.
The MBF’s National President, Dr Bitrus Pogu said the North would have no choice but to support a candidate from the South that they could trust since any move to produce a candidate from the North would not fly at the moment.
Pogu said support for Peter Obi should be based on his promise of one term, just as former President Goodluck Jonathan due to the fact that the law would permit him only one term.
He said, “I want to say that a drowning person wouldn’t mind even holding onto a straw thinking that it will save him. So, in the situation which the North finds itself in, I do not think that their choices are many.
“Getting a Northerner to contest is a problem and they must have to trust somebody that has a track record of consistency which Peter Obi seems to have.
“But the issue now is, in spite of his pronouncement, in spite of the fact that they may extract a written agreement from him, will they faithfully carry out their support promises. That is the issue, because some of them could still say let us try our Atiku again or try one of those ones in the North, but they know that it is not going to sell, they know that very well.
“So they may still go for somebody in the South, either somebody who will promise them like Peter Obi or somebody like former President Jonathan if it is allowed, knowing that he cannot go beyond one term. So these are the options they have, because when people lack options, of course any option is a good option.”
