From left: Peter Obi and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Less than 48 hours after former President Olusegun Obasanjo wrote Nigerians, especially the youths appealing to them to vote for the Labour Party LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed for the February 2023 presidential election, former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida rtd. has commended him for the action.

Gen. Babangida, who described Obasanjo as a boss and a true elder statesman in a tweet monitored on his verified Tweeter handle @General Ibbro, expressed satisfaction with the endorsement, saying he respects Gen. Obasanjo a lot.

Former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida rtd.

The tweet reads in part: “Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo will forever be a true elder statesman and a boss in the military. No serving General in the Nigerian Army today joined the military earlier than 1982. By then, Obasanjo had already finished his military career. I respect him a lot, with his endorsement.”

Recall that former President Obasanjo had on Sunday, January 1, 2023 in a letter he personally signed, asked Nigerians to elect Peter Obi, who he said has the energy, agility and good track record to undertake the task of Nigeria’s leadership at the highest level, especially given the present state of things in the country. This, he also said is in addition to having a young and able running mate with clean track record of achievement both in public and private life.

According to Obasanjo in a New Year message entitled: “My appeal to all Nigerians particularly Young Nigerians”, none of the presidential candidates is a saint, but when compared to the knowledge, discipline and what they can offer, Obi has an edge.

He also wrote: “None of the contestants is a saint but when one compares their character, antecedent, their understanding, knowledge, discipline and vitality that they can bring to bear and the great efforts required to stay focused on the job, particularly looking at where the country is today and with the experience on the job that I personally had, Peter Obi as a mentee has an edge.

“Others like all of us have what they can contribute to the new dispensation to liberation, restoration and salvaging of Nigeria collectively. One other important point to make about Peter is that he is a needle with thread attached to it from North and South and he may not get lost.  In other words, he has people who can pull his ears, if and when necessary. Needless to say that he has a young and able running mate with a clean track record of achievement both in public and private life.”

He also described the seven years of the administration of the President Muhammadu Buhari as hell, saying, “The last seven and a half years have no doubt been eventful and stressful years for many Nigerians.  We have moved from frying pan to fire and from mountain top to the valley.”

He therefore enjoined Nigerians across North, South East and West to forget the past wrongs and continue in one accord in the overall interest and oneness of Nigeria, insisting that all the regions at one time or the other have done wrongs to other members of the nation.