Obi’s acumen and track record are convincing reasons. His knowledge of the details of the nation’s economy is a convincing argument.
By Kodilinye Obiagwu
The declaration by former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, to contest the 2023 presidential election, hasn’t come as a surprise. He has never disguised his intention or shied away from sustaining his walk on the political trajectory to impact on national politics and the affairs of the South East since he left office.
Obviously, Obi is one politician in the South East geopolitical zone that has not considered the rightful desire of the South East to produce the president as a mere perennial ritual drama indulged in for its sake.
In the run up to his declaration, he made the point in early January in an interview on Arise TV, that the South East needs a “convincing argument” on why the zone should produce the next president.
Incidentally, Obi’s acumen and track record are convincing reasons. His knowledge of the details of the nation’s economy is a convincing argument. His acceptability across zones is evidence that he is a political asset as was showcased in the last presidential election, where he was running mate to former vice president, Atiku Abubakar on the platform of the PDP.
Now, ahead of the 2023 polls, and with the logical progression of that desire to serve and actualise the desire of the South East to produce the president in 2023, Obi has addressed some questions.
The prominent question he has answered is that the South East has individuals who can offer leadership to the nation.
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Obi is not the only politician from the South East who has indicated interest in the presidential race, but he has a name and stature that rings a bell with a certain decibel. And that significantly led to the frenzy in some sections of the media over the mention of his name in the Pandora Papers. It was obvious that the excitement was orchestrated to stir the waters against Obi and make him look less than the picture his accomplishments hold up.
Attention was recently drawn by the Igbo apex socio cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo to the not so subtle ongoing blackmail.
The organization has wondered why would the Ndigbo not be considered fit enough to produce the country’s president? Of course there are credible men like Obi to wear the toga. An Igbo president in 2023 is not out of pity, a consensus, an option or a political opinion. It is an overdue necessity.
The National President of Igbos for Progressive and United Nationhood, Lawrence Onuzulike, welcomed Obi’s ambition, noting that the former governor has the capacity to galvanize the support of Nigerians.
Ahead of his declaration, Obi said he will love the opportunity to serve Nigeria as President if PDP zones the ticket to the South. And if it is thrown open, Nigerians would hear from him.
This is coming at a time when the political tussle for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ticket is at its toughest.
Obi’s candidacy is not one that will upset the apple cart when the discussion is enlarged on who will carry the banner for the South East. That will be the indication of who will be the best choice of the system.
He has shown enough in Anambra as a two-term governor to be considered a candidate with the best and practicable blueprint to set the basis for national development.
His wealth of knowledge, depth of vision and experience, and understanding of the political and socio economic dynamics of the nation, which he gave a glimpse of during the electioneering campaigns in 2019 will certainly convince the doubters of what the nation has missed by keeping an Igbo man off the national platform of leadership.
Although Peter Obi’s run with Atiku Abubakar in the presidential race didn’t end with the desired victory against the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), it galvanized Ndigbo for a just cause. At every stop in the South East, top politicians and eminent stakeholders trooped out to welcome the campaign.
The South East geopolitical zone had closed ranks and marshaled support for the campaign despite the initial uncertainty and tentativeness of some politicians.
The zone suddenly saw what would have been; the vice president’s slot was not the desire but it was better than anything else. It had raised the real hunger for the desire to produce the President.
And with the benefit of hindsight, Peter has the politics to run the race in 2023 should the PDP seek to build on the foundation of the 2019 race.
The truth is the clamor for Obi to return to the campaign didn’t ease and the wait for him to declare his ambition for the 2023 campaign had never been less intense.
Earlier in January, he pleaded with supporters eager for him to “come out and run,” that he was still consulting widely before making up his mind on the 2023 presidential polls.
In a tweet, a supporter, one FakeBuhari, threatened to sue Peter Obi if he failed to declare for the presidency in 2023.
“If at the end of this month you don’t declare interest for the presidency in the 2023 election, be ready for legal action. Leave #AFCON2021 for Orji UZOR Kalu, that is his calling, not yours. Your calling is excellent economic leadership. Congrats #TeamNigeria,” tweeted FakeBuhari
Obi responded jocularly: “I wish I knew your real name. But the truth is, I don’t have money to spend on a court case. Give me some time.”
In an expansive manner Obi had noted: “Politics is about engagement and consultation, and not confrontation. You consult and discuss with other people and say, ‘this is how we need to do it for us to have peaceful coexistence.’
He told interviewers on Arise TV “though the South East has compelling points, it must embrace the politics of “engagement and consultation, and not confrontation.
“We need to convince the other people why it should be us. And you know we have a convincing argument for that. But it needs to be convincing.”
Obiagwu is Editor-In-Chief of The National Statesman online
