13th May, 2024
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
Yunusa Tanko, the spokesperson of former Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has explained why his principal visited some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Abuja on Monday.
Photographs circulating on social media had shown Peter Obi on a visit to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of PDP as well as former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa State who are also chieftains of the party separately in their homes in Abuja on Monday.
The emergence of the pictures led to speculations in the media with some supporters of Atiku and Obi speculating on the likely alliance between the two men ahead of the 2027 general election.
Obi was a running mate to Atiku who was the flagbearer of the PDP in the 2019 election. He, however left the PDP to contest for the presidency under the platform of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election.
However, Atiku and Obi lost the presidential election to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the election.
However, despite the feverish speculations, there was no indication that Obi’s visit to the PDP chieftains has anything to do with the 2027 election in the statement issued by Tanko on the visit.
Rather, the statement indicated that Obi visited Atiku, Saraki, and Lamido on Monday because of his concerns and commitment to the progress of the nation.
“At the center of discussion during each of these visits was the state of the nation and how to reduce the suffering of all Nigerians irrespective of class and location.
“In particular, the desperate condition of the downtrodden in our midst was highlighted.
“Of particular interest and emphasis in these discussions was the worrisome situation in the Northern parts of the country,” the statement indicated.
Read the full statement below
*State of the Nation and Plight of the Poor: Obi visits ATIKU, Saraki, and Lamido in Abuja*
The 2023 Presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi has continued to live up to his expressed commitment to the peace and progress of the nation.
His abiding devotion is to the emergence of a Nigeria that works for all its peoples and where the people are quickly pulled out of poverty.
Worried about the state of the nation and the increasing uncertainty in the living conditions of the poor and underprivileged, Obi in Abuja on Monday visited some top Nigerians, among whom are Former Vice President, and PDP Presidential Candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, the Former Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki and the Former Governor of Jigawa state, Alhaji Sule Lamido.
At the center of discussion during each of these visits was the state of the nation and how to reduce the suffering of all Nigerians irrespective of class and location.
In particular, the desperate condition of the downtrodden in our midst was highlighted.
Of particular interest and emphasis in these discussions was the worrisome situation in the Northern parts of the country .
Signed
Dr Yunusa Tanko
POOR
SPOKESMAN
May 13, 2024.