Why ‘My Brother’ Peter Obi Cannot Win 2023 Presidency – Soludo

Charles Soludo, the Governor of Anambra and former Central Bank of Nigeria chief, has ruled out Peter Obi’s chances of winning the 2023 presidential election.

Soludo on Monday penned a 4,038-word article titled “History Beckons and I will not be Silent (Part 1)” where he responded to those criticizing him over comments he made about Obi’s administration as governor of Anambra.

The Anambra governor had during his appearance on Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ described Obi’s investment of $12,616,356.43 during his tenure as governor is worth “next to nothing” today.

The statement generated angry reactions from supporters of the Labour Party presidential candidate, with some accusing him (Soludo) of being envious of Obi’s rising political profile.

Some accused Soludo of deliberately de-marketing Obi because he is nursing a future presidential ambition.

But in his response, the Anambra Governor laughed off the claim, saying he and Obi “are not just friends, we call ourselves “brothers”.”

Soludo said regardless of whether or not his ‘brother’ was running for president, he owes it a duty “as a Christian” to always tell the truth even if it “can be very costly”.

He said Obi’s ambition amounts to toying with “the collective destiny of over 60 million Igbos” as losing the 2023 presidential election after getting bloc support from the South East “will cost Ndigbo dearly for years”.

According to him, not until Ndigbo bargains or negotiates for power will an Igbo man/woman emerge as president of Nigeria.

On Obi’s chances at the poll, he “Let’s be clear: Peter Obi knows that he can’t and won’t win. He knows the game he is playing, and we know too; and he knows that we know. The game he is playing is the main reason he didn’t return to APGA. The brutal truth (and some will say, God forbid) is that there are two persons/parties seriously contesting for president: the rest is exciting drama! That many Americans may not like the fact that Joe Biden (79 years) and Donald Trump (76 years) are two frontrunners for president in their parties does not remove the fact that if both of them emerge as candidates, definitely one of them will be president in 2024.”

Party of the article reads, “As my brother, I wish him well and even pray for him. I told him during his courtesy call that my prayer is that himself or Prof Umeadi of APGA would win, why not? That is from my heart, but I also told him that my head and facts on the ground led me to know that it’s probability is next to zero (what I cannot say before you, I won’t say behind you). So I already told him my opinion. Indeed, there is no credible pathway for him near the first two positions, and if care is not taken, he won’t even near the third position. Analysts tell him you don’t need “structure” to win. Fantasy! Of course, LP won governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun on social media and via phantom polls, while getting barely 2,000 votes on ground. Creating a credible third force for presidential election in Nigeria requires a totally different strategy and extreme hard work.

“Of course, Peter Obi will get some votes, and may probably win in Anambra state— as “home boy”. But Anambra is not Nigeria. If he likes, I can even campaign for him but that won’t change much. From internal state by state polling available to me, he was on course to get 25% in 5 states as at August this year. The latest polling shows that it is down to four states, and declining. Not even in Lagos state (supposed headquarters of urban youths) where Labour Party could not find candidates to contest for House of Reps or Senate. The polls also show that he is taking votes away mostly from PDP. Indeed, if I were Asiwaju Tinubu, I would even give Peter Obi money as someone heading one of the departments of his campaign because Obi is making Tinubu’s pathway to victory much easier by indirectly pulling down PDP. It is what it is!

“The current fleeting frenzy, if not checked, will cost Ndigbo dearly for years. The South East has the lowest number of votes of any region, but it is also the only region where the presidential race might be a 4-way race (it is a two-way race in the other 5 regions) thereby ensuring that our votes won’t count in the making of the next president of Nigeria. Afterwards, we would start complaining that we don’t get “what we deserve” or cry of marginalization. During the 2019 presidential election, the five South East States were united for PDP but contributed merely 1.6 million votes to PDP which was about the votes that Kano state gave to Buhari.

“The emotions might run to heavens but politics-power is about cold calculations, organization and building alliances for power. In a democracy, it is a game of numbers. So far, I don’t see any of these— and 2023 might again be a wasted opportunity for Ndigbo! What is our Plan B when Peter Obi loses in February 2023? Some people prefer that we should play the Ostrich while Peter Obi toys with the collective destiny of over 60 million Igbos. Yes, you pray that he wins, but what if he fails as he is certain to? The Bible says that my people perish for lack of knowledge. As the saying goes, only those who Plan can control the future. Ndigbo, wake up and smell the coffee!”