Governor Nyesom Wike of State of the rivers has said that a former governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi, would not have won the presidential candidacy of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) if he had chosen to remain in the party.
Wike had this to say when he appeared on “Politics Today,” a show on Channels TV, on Thursday.
Obi, considered one of the main candidates for the party’s presidential candidacy, recently announced his resignation from the PDP and his withdrawal from the presidential race under the PDP.
His resignation and exit from the presidential race came less than three days before the party’s presidential primary, which is scheduled to take place between May 28 and 29.
But the Rivers state governor, who is also the party’s presidential contender, said he was not surprised by the former governor’s decision.
“I’m not surprised. Peter Obi leaving the party, I’m not surprised, because he knows there was no way he would have won the PDP presidential primary. How would he have won? I went to Anambra and told (them), ‘don’t waste his votes on him,’” he said.
“Since leaving the APGA as governor, he has never won an election in Anambra. Check it! The problem is, at that level, there has to be integrity, there has to be character,” Wike added.
He also criticized Obi over speculation that the former governor was considering offers from the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) stand as a candidate for the party’s vice presidency.
“So when we talk about character and integrity, it’s a problem. You can be the best economist, but you have no character, no integrity.
“A candidate for vice president (PDP) in the 2019 elections? What is he seeing differently (in NNPP) that he hasn’t seen for many years? Only 72 hours away (from the PDP presidential primaries), now you are seeing them,” the governor said.
Mr. Obi served as Governor of Anambra State between 2006 and 2014 under the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) platform.
In October 2014, seven months after handing over to Willie Obiano, the former governor defected to the PPD.
He was a 2019 vice-presidential candidate for Atiku Abubakar, who has also declared an interest in running for the position in 2023.
Since he left the PDP, speculation has abounded about his possible defection to the NNPP to be the vice-presidential candidate of former Kano state governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, who is a presidential hopeful of the party.
There is also speculation that Mr Obi is considering a move to the Labor Party, where he is expected to be awarded an automatic presidential ticket from the party.
An official confirmation of his next destination is expected in the coming days.
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