Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Former Governor of Anambra State formerly joined the quest to become the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday when a group, Like Minds for Peter Obi, paid N40 million to purchase the presidential forms for him.
In the same vein, another group, Take Back Nigeria, pledged 10 million votes for Obi, while also pledging to mobilise the delegates to enable him emerge as the presidential candidate.
At the PDP national secretariat yesterday, the group, ‘Like Minds For Peter Gregory Obi’ consisting of young professionals and business men handed over the Expression of Interest and Presidential Nomination Forms to Ekene Nwakuche on behalf of Obi.The National Organising Secretary of PDP, Hon. Bature Umar said: “We are handling over this expression of interest form to you, having paid the mandatory N5 million and N35 million for the presidential nomination form. By this, Peter Gregory Obi is qualified to contest for presidential ticket of the PDP with other presidential aspirants that have bought their forms.
Speaking later, the leader of the group, Nwakuche said: “ We the Like Minds for Peter Gregory Obi, don’t belong to any political party. We’re just a group of young Nigeria professionals that feel that the way the country is not going in the right direction and we need someone, a technocrat, a seasoned technocrat that can steer the affairs of the country in the right direction, and cut down the cost of governance.
“Because we believe that if we cut down the cost of governance, that the country would move in the right direction. And we’ve been following. We are different individuals in the group, professionals, businessman , public servants, different category of contractors, artisans. We have members from everywhere in Nigeria, we are fully represented.
So, we want the country to move forward. We think Peter Gregory Obi can steer it forward and we believe in him because we’ve seen what he did in Anambra when he was a governor. And we have heard him talk, he has the wealth of experience to lead Nigeria to the promised land,” he said.
“We’re not in this thing because of any gain. We’re doing it because of our children yet to come. Because if we don’t get it right this time around, this 2023, I don’t know where we’ll be. Each and everyone of us here know how the country is and we want a better Nigeria.
“And I believe that if you’re from Nigeria, be it from the north, south, east, west, and you know, you want a better Nigeria, I don’t think there’s any other person that you’ll support than Peter Obi.
“So, we’re buying the form from our group, the Like minds. And because we know he’s a member of the PDP. That’s why we’re buying the form under the party, PDP, which is his party where he belongs. And we pray that the PDP will support him and by the grace of God we pray that he will scale through the primaries and fly the flag of the PDP,” Nwakuche stated.
He hinted that another support group that has pledged to deliver 10 million votes to the presidential aspiration of Peter Obi.
He said: “There are other groups here that joined us too like another no-npartisan group called Take Back Nigeria. And different groups. They want a better Nigeria. And they believe that no other person can do it for us than Peter Obi.
Please, the Take Back Nigeria group say they will bring 10 million votes, the youth vote to PDP to Peter Obi. So, if PDP gets it right and pick Peter, we know that we will deliver Nigeria to you. And we pray that he will lead us to the promised land.
“The Nigerian dream we’re all looking for can be achievable and the only person that we believe that can give us the Nigerian dream is no other person than His Excellency Mr. Peter Gregory Obi,” he stated.
So far, the following aspirants have picked the presidential nominations forms. They include: Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki, Anyim Pius Anyim, Bala Mohammed, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Nwachukwu Anakwenze, Dele Momodu, Nyesom Wike, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, Peter Obi, Mrs. Oliver Teriala Diana, Udom Emmanuel and Sam Ohuabunwa
Also, Senator Joel Danlami Ikenya from Taraba State joined the race to become the governorship candidate for PDP in the 2023 elections.
After collecting his nomination form, Senator Ikenya, said: “I have served my state at various levels and I am experienced that I have gathered so far, I have exposed myself to a certain level that I know gives me an advantage to serve my state and give back to the state for it’s investments on me.”
Senator Ikenya pledge to uphold local government autonomy as it is already existing in the state.
Similary, Pastor Hon. Donald Daunemigha, Bayelsa West Senatorial Aspirant, who was a two-time former Ekeremor local government chairmen in Bayelsa state picked the senatorial nomination form to challenge the former Governor of the state, Seriake Dickson.
He told newsmen after picking the senatorial forms to challenge Senator Dickson, because the former governor breached existing zoning arrangement in the Bayelsa West senatorial zone.
He said: “Because of the fact that we have an existing zoning arrangement that supposed to bring the senatorial seat to my local government, I was asked by a wide spectrum of the people of the local governments to run this election, and that is why I have obliged and after seeking the face of God decided to take this giant leap”.
