Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday defended his choice of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) as his preferred candidate for the presidency job, saying only an “unpatriotic and bad Nigerian” would vote for a candidate with bad character.
Obasanjo spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while featuring in an interactive session of the Experiential Leadership in Africa (TEL-Africa).
The TEL-AFRICA global interactive session has as its theme: “Executive Decisions, Indecisions, and Leadership Development in Africa.”
The former President had in his New Year message to Nigerians, entitled: “My appeal to all Nigerians particularly young Nigerians,” threw his support for Obi.
Obasanjo’s decision had generated reactions from many Nigerians, including the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and that of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
While reacting to a statement that he endorsed Obi, Obasanjo insisted that he did not use the word “endorsed”, but he only gave his opinion and knowledge of the candidates.
Obasanjo said: “Whether the letter is open or not open, what I believe is that I will be punished by God if I know what is right and I did not put it where it should be.
“The word I used is that one particular candidate has an edge, taking everything together and I take character, I take track record, I take vision and I take what you see in this man as a child of God.”
