Days after dumping the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Governor of Anambra State and presidential aspirant, Peter Obi has joined Labour Party (LP).
His words on Friday: “I thank all Nigerians, especially our youths who have joined me in the mission of taking back and reuniting Nigeria.
“This project is yours and for the future of your children. I am just a facilitator.
“Since I resigned from the PDP because of issues that are at variance with my persona and principles, I have consulted widely with various parties and personalities to ensure we do not complicate the route to our desired destination.
“For me, the process of achieving our goal is as fundamental as what one will do thereafter.
“Therefore, I have chosen a route that I consider to be in line with our aspirations and my mantra of taking the country from consumption to production; and that is the Labour Party which is synonymous with the people, workers, development, production, securing and uniting Nigerians as one family.
“I invite all Nigerians to join me in taking back our country. Be assured that I’ll never let you down.”
Obi’s declaration is coming after comments he allegedly made went round on the social media on his reason for leaving the PDP.
Though there was no mention of the place and context he allegedly made the comments, it reads: “I came to offer my services to Nigerians free of charge through the Platform of PDP, but PDP decided to sell it to the highest bidder, I did not steal government money and I have no intentions of stealing it in the future.
“Nigerians have suffered so much as a result of this type of politics of buying political offices. This is the reason why Nigerians can not hold their leaders accountable for failure, because they have sold their right to good governance over a morsel of bread. I left PDP in other to change this narrative.”
Recall that on Thursday, another presidential aspirant on the platform of the PDP and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had told Channels Television that he was not surprised at Obi’s departure
“Peter Obi leaving the party, does not surprise me, because he knows that there is no way he would have won the PDP presidential primaries. How would he have won? I went to Anambra and told (them), ‘don’t waste your votes on him.
“Since he left APGA as a governor, he has never won an election in Anambra. Check it! The issue is that, at that level, there must be integrity, there must be character….
“So, when we talk of character and integrity, it is an issue. You can be the best economist, but you don’t have character, no integrity.
“A (PDP) vice presidential candidate in the 2019 election? What is he seeing differently that he didn’t see for many years now? Just 72 hours (to the PDP presidential primary), he is now seeing them,” the governor said.