Peter Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State and presidential aspirant under the Labour Party has given a hint on why he left the Peoples Democratic Party.
Obi who was a guest on the ChannelsTV’s interview programme, Politics Today with Seun Okinbaloye stated that he is not desperate to be President, but desperate to see Nigeria work, especially for the youths of the country.
He noted that for the years he was with PDP, he was fully committed to the party and hence, his loyalty can not be questioned.
What Obi is saying
Obi said parties are an association of which any member has the right to leave at any time he or she wishes to.
He said, “It’s a relationship, you have the freedom to leave, and when you go into an association, you go in for a reason.
“If you feel that there is a variance with your own personality, and principles, the only thing you can do is to quietly and decently leave the place, that’s what I did.”
He added that in his write up, there was no tone that showed any quarrel. “I thanked them for the opportunity of being a member and associating myself, and said, going on, I can no longer continue,” he said
Obi did not specifically disclose what the variances were but added, “the variances are personal to me.”
“The process through which you arrive at a destination, especially with seeking public, is as fundamental as what you do thereafter. For me, I want to follow a process I believe in. Some people say, do anything and when you get there, correct it. No, I cannot. I do not believe it.
“The process must be the same as what I do thereafter. I have campaigned, and if I find out there are other things I do not want to be part of, I withdraw myself,” he said.
He added he does not think anything is wrong with PDP, as it’s an association, where you are right to go in and leave.
On Governor Nyesom Wike questioning his loyalty, Obi said “I came in through a system, and I was part of the system. I stayed there, and throughout my years in PDP, nobody can question my loyalty to the party. I participated in everything, and when I am going out, I did not go out in a cross way, I did it so decently”
“I am not desperate to be President, I am desperate to see Nigeria work, especially for the youths of this country”
“I have moved on to where I think the process might allow me. It’s not about winning or losing, I will rather lose doing the right thing, than win doing the wrong thing. My politics has been consistent in character and integrity.”
What you should know
- Nairametrics had on May 25, reported that Peter Obi had dumped the PDP and withdrew from the presidential contest under the platform
- Obi in a letter titled, ‘Resignation from PDP and withdrawal from Presidential contest’, and addressed to the National Chairman of the party attributed his reason for the decision to recent developments within the party which makes it practically impossible to continue participating and make constructive contributions
- He later announced that he has joined the Labour party.
- Announcing his move to the Labour Party, Obi said, ‘’For me, the process of achieving our goal is as fundamental as what one will do thereafter. Therefore, I have chosen a route I consider to be in line with our aspirations and my mantra is taking our country from consumption to production and that is the Labour Party, which is synonymous with the people, workers, development, production, securing and uniting Nigerians as one family.”