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Obi Better Than Other Candidates, Obasanjo Insists
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that only an “unpatriotic and bad Nigerian” would vote for a candidate with bad character.
Obasanjo spoke on Thursday in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, while featuring in an interactive session of the Experiential Leadership in Africa with the theme “Executive Decisions, Indecisions, and Leadership Development in Africa.”
While defending his choice of Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the former president said Obi was his preferred candidate for the presidency.
The former president, in his New Year message to Nigerians, entitled “My appeal to all Nigerians, particularly young Nigerians,” expressed his support for Obi.
While reacting to a statement that he endorsed Obi, Obasanjo insisted that he did not use the word “endorse,” but he only gave his opinion on the candidates.
Obasanjo said, “Whether the letter is open or not, what I believe is that I will be punished by God if I know what is right and I do not put it where it should be.
“The word I used is that one particular candidate has an edge. Taking everything together, I take the character, track record, vision, and what you see in this man as a child of God.
“I said they all claimed to be my mentees, and of course, I won’t deny that, but if you are my mentee, they must also admit that I know them a little bit, and if I then know them a little bit, I must be right to say…
“I have done this before. I said President Buhari does not understand the economy, and that is true, and you have seen it. I wasn’t running him down; that is what he is, and he will admit that.
“I said his (Buhari’s) understanding of foreign affairs is also very limited because, when he was military head of state, he said his frontline does not go beyond the borders of Nigeria; that is a pity.
“But what then do you have? I wrote a letter that was almost six and a half pages long and then only had one sentence – ‘why should you, as a Nigerian, vote for someone whose character, reputation, and life you would not want for your children?’”
He continued, “You are either wicked, unpatriotic, or a truly awful citizen of this country, and if this is who you are, what do you want God to do with you?
“For the last three days, I have had about 35 youths who I have been talking to, and they have all told me that education, security, and corruption are what they are concerned about; the question is, who then can do it?”
Obasanjo, in his response on whether or not multiparty systems have been the bane of development in Nigeria, blamed leadership and not the multiparty system for the underdevelopment of the country.
The Punch
The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has argued that there is nothing wrong if Nigeria evolves into a one-party state, provided it reflects the will of the people.
Speaking to State House correspondents on Friday after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Ganduje dismissed concerns raised by opposition leaders over the country’s political direction.
He insisted that the growing dominance of the APC is a reflection of public trust in the party’s governance.
“If one-party state is a wish and blessing to Nigeria; One-party state is not by force; it is by negotiation,” Ganduje said.
“If other political parties see the effect of the positive governance of our party and decide to come to our party willingly, I think there is nothing wrong with that.”
Citing China as an example of a successful one-party system, Ganduje stated that the APC is not actively working to eliminate opposition, but that defections and realignments are part of democratic processes.
“Too many political parties spoil governance,” he added.
Ganduje led three senators from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), reportedly from Kebbi State, to meet with President Tinubu, announcing their intention to join the APC.
According to him, their defection is the result of extensive negotiations among stakeholders in the state and is part of APC’s broader strategy to strengthen its base.
“This is a good development and in consonance with what is happening in Nigeria today. Almost every week in the Senate and House of Representatives, you see members of other political parties decamping to our party,” he said.
Ganduje assured that the APC is prepared to smoothly integrate the new members, maintaining that the party’s strategy to expand both its numbers and the quality of its membership is aligned with democratic principles.
The Senator representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has distanced herself from a viral TikTok video that surfaced online showing her dancing to “Omo Ologo”, a song in praise of President Bola Tinubu.
In a public disclaimer released via her verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Akpoti-Uduaghan denied owning any TikTok account, warning the public against being misled by parody accounts across various social media platforms.
“I do not own a TikTok account,” she posted.
“Many parody accounts exist in my name on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Some have garnered large followings.”
She clarified that the circulating video was manipulated from an old 2023 clip and repurposed with “mischievous intent” to mislead the public.
“While I hold the President in utmost respect, I’d urge everyone to disregard the mischievous post made using an old 2023 video of mine,” she stated.
The video, sound-tracked by “Omo Ologo”, a praise song performed by Dauda Kahutu Rarara at a recent event attended by Tinubu in Katsina, appeared to depict the senator aligning herself with the president’s camp.
President Bola Tinubu has issued a passionate call for unity, resilience, and renewed patriotism, urging Nigerians to stand firm behind ongoing reforms aimed at rebuilding the country’s economic foundation.
Speaking during a grand reception in Awka, Anambra State, on the occasion of his state visit, President Tinubu acknowledged the current challenges facing the nation but assured the people that the hard choices were necessary for lasting prosperity.
“We continue to plead with Nigerians for their patience and understanding,” Tinubu appealed.
“We call on all patriots and progressives to rise and continue to work hard every day for the greatness of our dear country. We have no other country but Nigeria. We must make it great as the pride of the black race.”
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to inclusive development, citing progress made in economic reform, infrastructure investment, and improved public finance management.
“We met near-insolvent public finance… unsustainable multiple subsidies… a chaotic and debilitating forex regime. These monsters have been tackled,” he said.
Highlighting renewed investor confidence and growth in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology, Tinubu said the “Renewed Hope Agenda” was already yielding visible results.
He particularly commended Anambra for leading in innovation and development, referencing the commissioning of the Solution Fun City and Government House Mini-City as signs of progress.
Describing Governor Chukwuma Soludo as “a brilliant man” and “a thinker who knows the way,” Tinubu added: “We are working together for a better Anambra and Nigeria.”
The president also praised Anambra State for fully implementing and even surpassing the new national minimum wage, calling it “a signal of true leadership and compassion for the working class.”
Asserting the federal government’s commitment to equitable development, Tinubu promised increased investment in roads, power, rail, and digital infrastructure across all regions, including the Southeast.
