Ignore the minority opinion against Peter Obi

It is important to correct the erroneous impression that may be created in some quarters that the alleged opposition to Peter Obi’s pick as Atiku Abubakar’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vice presidential running mate in the 2019 general elections is Igbo position.

That is far from the truth. The Igbo are solidly behind Peter Obi. The opposition may be borne out of personal grudges against Peter Obi. Nigerians should ignore the minority opposition.

There is nothing to hold against Peter Obi. The South-East PDP is alone in this anti-Peter Obi game. We are in a democracy and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But the majority wins the vote.

I repeat the Igbo are solidly behind Peter Obi. Peter Obi is an astute and prudent technocrat/politician acknowledged nationwide. Reactions from across the country show his wide acceptance.

Indeed, Atiku and the PDP are lauded for playing a strategic masterstroke by identifying and picking Peter Obi. Nigerians are elated by the development as a sign of good things to come.

So far, there is a deluge of support for Peter Obi from across Igbo land and beyond.

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze ndi Igbo, has expressed its unflinching support for the Peter Obi’s nomination.

The U-turn made by former president Olusegun Obasanjo to support Atiku Abubakar, his hitherto avowed political enemy, marks a turning point in what to expect in the 2019 presidential election.

Obasanjo’s support is in all ramifications including the choice of Peter Obi.

Also, former president, Goodluck Jonathan is in total support of the Peter Obi pick.

Jonathan has reportedly appealed to the South-East PDP to pipe down and support their brother and fellow compatriot.

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, the Northern Elders Forum and the Middle Belt groups are in support of the Atiku/Peter Obi joint presidential ticket. Peter Obi’s selection has been described as Atiku’s masterstroke.

The Chairman of the South-East Senate Caucus, Enyinnaya Abaribe and senator representing Edo Central, Clifford Ordia, have thrown their weight behind Atiku Abubakar and his running mate Peter Obi.

Perhaps, the most interesting and reassuring is the affirmation of the Peter Obi’s nomination even by pro-Biafra groups.

The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) reportedly received Peter Obi’s selection with resounding acceptance and has thrown its weight behind him.

The Uchenna Madu-led MASSOB, while saying that they don’t believe in the Nigerian project said: “We acknowledge the acceptance of Mr. Peter Obi by millions of Nigerians, through the eruption of joyous celebration which greeted his selection as a vice presidential candidate.

MASSOB, as a major stakeholder in Igbo affairs, shall not derail in any national interest that will benefit Ndigbo in Nigeria…”

From all indications, the acceptance of Peter Obi’s VP nomination with Atiku is swelling across the nation such that the pocket opposition by the PDP in the South-East cannot stop it. It is like a moving train.

The opposition to Peter Obi’s pick should be seen as a minority position of a handful of PDP elements in the Southeast.

There are three PDP governors in the South-East, namely, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi states. Anambra and Imo are under APGA and APC respectively.

That being the case, there is no way the personal opinion of three governors would override the larger Igbo and Nigerian approval of Peter Obi.

It is instructive that PDP, as a party, accepted Peter Obi. How could three out of 36 state chapters and Abuja prevail over Peter Obi’s choice?

This opposition would have been meaningful if PDP as a party is contesting it. But alas, the party is comfortable with the choice of Peter Obi.

The South-East PDP may be accused of playing anti-party politics by not accepting Peter Obi.

They would compound their problem if they threaten to join another party with their insignificant votes. The people are not with them in this game.

It is advisable that they sink their personal differences against Peter Obi and join the moving train because they won’t succeed by doing otherwise.

From reports, three issues are the grouse of the Peter Obi opponents.

There is the allegation that South-East PDP was not consulted and that Atiku did not abide by an earlier “agreement” to pick Professor Chukwuma Soludo as his running mate. The other is that Peter Obi is conservative.

Starting with the last, the Nigerian public perception of a conservative politician is someone who is not careless with money.

The opposite of conservative in this context is extravagant, or someone who thows money around anyhow.

By accusing Peter Obi of being conservative, which to them is unacceptable, the PDP elements in the South-East would prefer an extravagant person; someone who would throw money about carelessly and recklessly without caution.

But given the abject state of affairs in the country and the trauma Nigerian masses are suffering, an extravagant leader is the last thing Nigerians would want at this time.

Alternatively, Nigerians would like to have wise and frugal leaders who would not waste resources to the detriment of the people.

No doubt, Peter Obi personifies these positive qualities. His legacies as former governor of Anambra State are unmatchable.

Remove federal presence from Lagos, Anambra is the most developed state in the federation in terms infrastructure and that is courtesy of Peter Obi’s eight-year governance.

Regarding picking Soludo, in all fairness, Soludo is a high cerebral technocrat that manifested as a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He, like Peter Obi, is not tainted by corruption and greed. He could make a good pick also.

But, it needs to be emphasised that in Nigeria, politics takes precedent. This is where Peter Obi supersedes.

Peter Obi has both cerebral capacity and ability to maneuver the murky politics of Nigeria.

He has played this politics since 1999 and not only succeeded but came out clean.

Both Soludo and Peter Obi are potential future presidents of Igbo extraction and I would want Soludo to be patient and support his brother Peter Obi.

It is embarrassing that some Igbo elements would dare to oppose the selection of Peter Obi for such an exalted position when other parts of the country are in support. The Igbo should wean themselves of a negative perception that they are enemy to themselves.

Finally, the selection of Peter Obi as VP running mate to Atiku is not the first to be made in the country.

Since 1999, no less than four vice presidential running mates have been selected from across the country and there has never been a time the issue of consulting the zone or the candidates’ state party chapter came up.

Besides, it is not constitutional. Each presidential candidate was free to select whosoever he liked to be his running mate.

Based on that, Atiku has done the right thing by choosing Peter Obi, who turned out to be most qualified for the job. It is foolhardy chasing the wind.