By James Orji
Presidential hopeful Peter Obi says he supports the emergence of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP presidential candidate through consensus. He added that such candidate should emerged from the south east which has not produced the president since the return to civil democracy, to promote fairness, justice and equity among the geo-political zones in the country.
Obi spoke amidst suggestion that the opposition has arrived at a decision to chose its presidential candidate through a consensus arrangement.
The former governor of Anambra state is among presidential aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP from the South-east region of Nigeria who met in Abuja last week to ensure the party zones its presidential ticket to the region.
The aspirants who met in the nation’s capital to endorse Ex-Anambra governor Peter Obi, ex-Senate President Pius Anyim, Sam Ohuabunwa, and Nwachukwu Anakwenze are among the 14 aspirants who have purchased the forms for the PDP presidential ticket.
The magazine learnt that all the aspirants agreed to support whoever amongst them emerge as the PDP presidential candidate.
Their meeting also comes amidst similar meeting by PDP northern presidential aspirants such as Governors Aminu Tambuwal, Bala Mohammed, former vice President Abubakar and former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Speaking on a Channels Television programme, Politics Today on Sunday, Obi a former vice presidential candidate, said fairness must be pivotal in selecting the PDP presidential candidate for 2023 presidential election, a veil reference, many say, to suggestions that the presidential slot should be zoned to the south east.
He appealed to the party to pick its consensus candidate from the region which has yet to produce the president since the country returned to constitutional democracy in 1999.
“We are not against PDP consensus, we are not against it, if it would be based on fairness and equity for each zone, which is enshrined in the constitution when mentioning the issue of national character,” the former governor said.
According to him, negotiation is ongoing to ensure that the party’s candidate is picked through consensus, noting that leadership problem is at the centre of many problems plaguing the country at the moment.
He explained that, “We are ready to accept the consensus on equity and fairness.
“Politics is about consultation and negotiation, and we are ready to do that. We have always supported other zones, and we think it’s time for them to reciprocate.
“We are going to do this with mutual understanding.We are not saying it’s our turn by voice, it’s a humble appeal for inclusion.
“What we are experiencing now is the compounding effects of leadership failure over the years, leadership that has failed to look at the future and invest in the future.
“What Nigerians want to see is a leader who has the competence and capacity to genuinely start tackling the innermost problems affecting our country, starting from issues of unity as we are so divided today as a nation, issues of insecurity, to ensure security of lives and property, issues of economy, tackling the unemployment which is on a level that is not acceptable. Also, dealing with the issue of education, power supply and corruption,” Obi said.
