Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra state, says he will be running for president if his party zones the ticket to the south.
Obi, who joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticker in 2019 as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate, disclosed this via a tweet on Tuesday.
“Yes, I will step into the field to contest for the opportunity to serve this great country as President if my party, the PDP, zones the ticket to the south,” he wrote on Twitter. “But if it is thrown open, Nigerians will also hear from me”.
Obi’s announcement is coming less than 24 hours after Aminu Tambuwal, the governor of Sokoto state, also declared his intention to run for president under the umbrella of the PDP.
In 2020, Obi said he was not a part of the poster being circulated that he would be running alongside Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano state.
I am not a part of the poster being circulated. -PO pic.twitter.com/2KvNuOX6tG
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) September 26, 2020
Obi has been very outspoken on national issues, especially politics and the economy.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE TV in August 2021, the former Anambra governor had said the south-east region needs to convince Nigerians on why it deserves the presidential slot.
“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. We are not going to hold a gun to their head and say ‘you must come here’,” he had said.
“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’.
“The decision will be done within the party. It’s not a question of my view or anybody’s view.’ It’s that of the party, because even if we say it should come to the south and the party zones it to the north, there is nothing that can be done.”
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