Former Governor of Anambra State and Peoples Democratic Party’s vice presidential candidate in 2019, Peter Obi has given one condition to join the 2023 presidential race.
Obi, who was the running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 2019, said he will run for the post of Nigeria’s President in 2023 if his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, zones its ticket to the Southern region of the country.
Obi made this known in a terse tweet on Tuesday, which reads;
Yes, I will step into the field to contest for the opportunity to serve this great country as President if my party, the @OfficialPDPNig, zones the ticket to the south. But if it is thrown open, Nigerians will also hear from me.
Yes, I will step into the field to contest for the opportunity to serve this great country as President if my party, the @OfficialPDPNig, zones the ticket to the south. But if it is thrown open, Nigerians will also hear from me. -PO
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) January 31, 2022
Seventeen Southern governors as well as socio-political groups including Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Pan Niger Delta Forum and the Middle Belt Forum had insisted that power moved to the South in 2023 after the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is from Katsina State.
The groups had declared that political parties that field northern presidential candidates won’t enjoy their support in the 2023 general elections.
Several presidential hopefuls have emerged from the Southern region in the last few days including All Progressives Congress National Leader, Bola Tinubu; media personality, Dele Momodu; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim; Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi; ex-Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha; former Governor of Abia State and Majority Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Kalu; former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, among others.
A few northerners including Atiku; former Senate President Bukola Saraki; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; and former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, — all of the PDP — have been reported to nurse presidential ambitions but while Saraki and Tambuwal had declared intention to run, Kwankwaso and Atiku are yet to publicly declare the intention to run.
Party primaries that would lead to the emergence of candidates are expected to hold later in the year.
