Tony Okafor, Awka
There are strong indications that a frontline presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Peter Obi, may dump the party any moment soon.
A source who attended a meeting in that respect on Monday in London told our correspondent in confidence on the telephone on Tuesday in Awka, Anambra State, that arrangements were being perfected in that direction.
He said, “We are thinking in that respect. That was part of what we discussed in our meeting on Monday in London. We shall brief you as things unfold, but it’s the plan. There are a lot of intrigues and shenanigans in the PDP”
New National Star had reported that Obi was in London for a meeting with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson and other UK leaders.
Meanwhile, a coalition of Obi’s supporters on Tuesday asked him to dump the PDP and look for an alternative means to prosecute his 2023 presidential bid.
The supporters’ statement signed by its spokesperson, Alhaji Zubairu Mohammad, read in part,”The Coalition for Peter Obi (COP) has asked the former governor of Anambra state to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and contest in the 2023 presidential election on the platform of another political party.”
The support groups warned Peter Obi that he should not be part of what Nigerians want him to change.
The Coalition stated that according to their investigations, politicians inside the PDP who had no previous verifiable source of livelihood before joining politics are doling out hundreds of millions of dollars to buy the delegates that will vote at the forthcoming PDP presidential primary.
They therefore advised Peter Obi to move to another political party to be at peace with his conscience and not to entangle himself in possible political negotiations or manoeuvring that will stain him and hamper his ability to serve Nigerians.
The supporters maintained that their decision was jointly signed by the conveners of the coalition of over 18 support groups that recently organised a One-Million-Man March, that witnessed what the called massive turnout across the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory.
They added that over seven million Nigerians participated in the march on Saturday, May 21, 2022, asking PDP leadership to be transparent in their dealings and to give Nigerians Peter Obi, a leader with proven track record of prudent management of resources and wealth creation.
The statement added, “The coalition, with an estimated 10 million active voters across the country also berated the PDP for playing double standards and violating its own constitutional provision on zoning political offices, thereby toying with the future of our children.
“Recent developments within the leadership of PDP is very pathetic as many chieftains of the party have ganged up to frustrate the presidential ambition of genuine and decent presidential aspirants, thereby encouraging unscrupulous politicians with no verifiable sources of income to throw monies around.
“They are well known individuals in the party who are doing everything possible within their powers to block any chance for credible aspirants to emerge. The party seems to have adopted an unwritten rule of tacitly encouraging the looting of state resources for party politics.
“Many of these political merchants are envious of the nationwide acceptability and sterling performance of Peter Obi both in the public and private sector, making them do everything possible to thwart the former governor of Anambra state’s presidential ambition.
“Therefore, as a coalition which consists of more than 18 groups with 10 million active voters, we call on his Excellency, Mr Peter Obi to dump Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and look for another political platform with people of like mind to pursue his presidential ambition to enable him help salvage our sinking nation.”