Why I Was Atiku’s Running Mate In 2019 But Contesting Against Him In 2023 – Peter Obi

The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi has given further insight into why he chose to contest the nation’s highest political office in 2023.

It will be recalled that Obi was the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was the party’s presidential candidate.

In 2023, Atiku is still the PDP presidential candidate and Obi is also a presidential candidate in the same election on the platform of another party.

During his recent campaign visit to Akwa Ibom State, the former Anambra State Governor was asked by newsmen why he decided to join the presidential race and not support Atiku who is also in the race.

Responding, Obi described the 2019 ticket as a form of apprenticeship for him but now that he has gotten freedom from his boss, it is left for Nigerians to choose who they want to become their next leader.

He cited the example of a businessman who learnt the trade from a boss and is now a free man but still in the same line of business as the person who trained him.

According to the Labour Party candidate, it is now left to the customers to decide who to patronize between the boss and the new boy.

He said: “I have a background as an Igbo man. In Igbo land, if you are learning a business, you stay with your boss and when you finish he will settle you. Now two of you will be doing the same business and looking for the same customers who will now decide who is the best. The customer may decide to continue to buy from the Oga, or from this new boy, that the product he is selling is better than that of the Oga.”