The presidential ambition of Labour Party (LP) standard bearer, Peter Obi has again received a big boost with his endorsement by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Elder Babachir Lawal and his teeming his followers.
Lawal said that the whole Northern Christians were supporting Obi and his running mate, Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed ticket in order to secure their political future and survival.
He said he believed that Obi would win the 2023 general election.
A group of northern Christian Leaders in the APC including a former House of Reps Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, had dissociated themselves from the Babachir Lawal position
Speaking on Channels Television current affairs programme “Politics Today” on Thursday night, the former SGF said that the decisiob to support LP and its candidate was made after a careful study of the current political situation in the country.
According to him: “The decision to support Mr Peter Obi of Labour Party was made after surveying the political climate.
“We made up our minds to align ourselves with Peter Obi because he has the potential to win next year’s presidential election.
“When you go to the rural areas in the North everyone is doing Obi, Obi, Obi. Besides, Obi has character and track records of excellence. He has the capacity to deliver his campaign promises. So it is only wise for us to support”.
Asked if he had resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) before declaring support for LP candidate, he said he was still a member of APC but was disgusted by the shabby treatment meted out to Christian members of the party especially by its Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Lawal said that for the party to settle for the
Muslim-Muslim ticket despite the objection of Christian members showed that the party had no regards for the Christians even as he had predicted that APC would not win the presidential election.
“APC is not on the ballot in 2023 general Election because I warned them before they did the Muslim-Muslim ticket. They will lose in all the Hausa-Fulani states. APC candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not get votes in the entire South East.
“In fact, (Rabiu) Kwakwanso will get Hausa states of Kano, Katsina and Jigawa; so APC will not win there. Also, Atiku Abubakar, a Fulani-Hausa man will clear Adamawa, his own state and many of the North”.
“He will get votes in the South West, his party is strong in the South West too, so where will Bola Tinubu get his votes.
“Peter Obi will win Adamawa, Gombe, Nasarawa, Taraba and Northern region where Christians are many. Obi will clear South East, South South and he will get required votes in the South West, so Obi will win the election”, Lawal insisted.
Asked what he would do if Obi failed to win the 2023 General Elections, he said: “I gain nothing in politics because I am a very successful farmer. I will still be doing my farming business. I don’t have anything to lose”.
Stay ahead with the latest updates! Join The ConclaveNG on WhatsApp and Telegram for real-time news alerts, breaking stories, and exclusive content delivered straight to your phone. Don’t miss a headline — subscribe now!
