The decision of former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently unsettling the party in the South East, 24 hours after he made the pronouncement. At the moment, former governor of Kano State, Alhaji Ibrahim Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) has opened talks with Peter Obi, possibly to use the party to continue his ambition to contest the presidential election.
Though it is not clear what was discussed at the meeting, feelers are that the NNPP is dangling Obi the opportunity of flying the flag of the party in 2023. Deepening the woes of the PDP in the South East is the likelihood of most aspirants of the PDP for state and National Assembly who expected that Obi’s presidential ticket in the party would better their fortunes is considering dumping the party en masse and joining Obi to any party that he gives the nod. Confirmingtheapprehension in the PDP South East, former National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisah Metuh, said that the PDP does not understand the grave implications of Obi dumping the party.
“Obi, no doubt, has capacity and he is popular in the South East and Nigeria in general; if we choose to wish that away, it would be to our own peril in this country’s elections,” he said Similarly, about seven political parties are waiting in the wings to welcome Obi and his supporters into their parties. According to the state chairman of the Accord Party in Anambra, Chief Bartho Igwedibia: “The resignation of Peter Obi is a welcome development to our party.
“Our doors are wide open to receive Peter Obi and his supporters to our party, and I know that other political parties are also interested in his candidacy. And this development marks the end of the PDP in the South East.” Meanwhile, Prophet Gbujie has expressed shock over Peter Obi’s resignation from PDP. Prophet Godfrey Gbujie, Ministerial Leader of World Zionist Union in the South East had announced on May 18, 2022 that God revealed to him that Obi would emerge the presidential standardbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the upcoming general election.
“I must say that I am shocked by the sudden withdrawal of Peter Obi from the PDP; his action could be likened to that of King Saul of Israel in the Bible shortly after he was made king. “I do know that a group backing his presidential aspiration on the platform of PDP as at early yesterday morning had raised more than N2.5 billion and other meetings were selected for yesterday evening and today before a sudden news of his withdrawal came,” Gbujie said.
