Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), recently provided insight into Peter Obi’s departure from the PDP during the lead-up to the party’s presidential primary election in 2022. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Atiku suggested that Obi left the PDP out of fear regarding the expectations of the party’s governors. On May 27, 2022, Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, announced his decision to leave the PDP for the Labour Party (LP), asserting that the LP was a more suitable platform for his aspirations. He emphasized that he chose a path aligned with his vision of transforming the country from a consumption-based economy to one focused on production.
During his address, Atiku characterized Obi’s departure as hasty. He stated, “I think Peter was in a rush. When the campaign started, and our PDP governors convened to determine the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Peter got scared and left.” In contrast, Atiku expressed his determination to confront the governors, recalling that many of them were relatively inexperienced when the PDP was founded. He asserted, “I did not get scared. I stood up against the governors… I fought them and I won the primary election.” He further noted that had Obi remained in the party, he could have been a viable candidate for the vice-presidential position, as Atiku had the authority to choose his running mate.
Atiku acknowledged that Obi’s candidacy had an impact on the PDP’s electoral performance, particularly in the South-East and South-South regions, where Obi garnered votes that traditionally belonged to the PDP. He remarked, “Yes, I agree it is a fact that he took our votes from the South-East and South-South, but that, of course, would not make him a president. Absolutely, it will not.” He emphasized that to become president in Nigeria, a candidate must secure votes from across the country. Despite the competition, Atiku expressed openness to dialogue with Obi, stating, “He is welcome to dialogue with the PDP, and we are ready to engage with him. I don’t think we will have any problem if he wants to dialogue with PDP, whether he forms an alliance or not.”
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