Politics

Farotimi, Nwaokobia react to Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi

Published

4 years ago

January 7, 2023

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Peter Obi

When former president Olusegun Obasanjo gave up his seat for Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, at an event last October, declaring, “My job is done”, most Nigerians read the handwriting on the wall. And speculations kept growing wide about who might be his preferred presidential candidate in next month’s general elections, until on new year day.

Fact is that Chief Obasanjo’s formal endorsement of Obi in an open letter to young Nigerians on Sunday January 1st, 2023, though has been the talk of town, didn’t come as a surprise to many. As expected, the ex-president’s announcement of his choice presidential candidate, has elicited so much debates and as well, left the camps of Peter Obi’s opponents who are not favoured by the endorsement, in open vituperation. As for Gen Obasanjo’s choice, the Labour Party is grateful for what it regarded as best new year gift ever.

The former president raised quite a number of crucial issues in the letter, but the place that catches the fancy of many, is where Obi’s endorsement was mentioned.

“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.

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“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 clean track record of achievement both in public and private life,” he wrote.

While commenting on the value of Obasanjo’s endorsement, legal practitioner and human rights activist, Dele Farotimi, was full of commendation for him but first, noted that, “I had on several occasions, quarreled with the person of Gen Obasanjo. And whether I like it or not and whether anyone else likes it or not, he is a three-time president of this country; how he performed or did not perform is subject of history.

“I would say that for the first time in my life; note that Gen Obasanjo has occupied the bulk of my life time, so for the first time in my life, I agree with him. And I believe that he has taken a decision rooted in reason that cannot be faulted.

“Yes, written copiously as he has written in the past, but for the first time, I agree with him. And for the first time as well, he took responsibility for the things he himself might have done wrong”. Farotimi further noted that “Gen Obasanjo has one vote but he has considerable influence within and outside Nigeria and people listen to him, that is the weight of his words and he spoke those words in favour of Mr Gregory Peter Obi and endorsed him for the onerous task ahead”, adding that “I have been saying it that Nigeria has been destroyed, it has to be rebuilt. You have to imagine it and convince the people of the need to do so. So, believe it when you hear a man like Gen Obasanjo who has had his time and has admitted to past failings, coming up to say this is the person I’m endorsing”.

Social media users who are angry with those against the endorsement have begun since January 1st, to flood the internet with photos of President Buhari with the APC presidential standard bearer, Bola Tinubu and their entourage when they visited Gen Obasanjo to solicit for his endorsement of Buhari in 2015. They believe that if Obasanjo had endorsed their own candidate, the ex-president’s electoral value would have been announced to the ends of the world. Also they opine that if that visit paid off for Buhari in 2015, nothing says the ex-president’s endorsement of Obi wouldn’t this time.

Dele Farotimi who was on Arise TV show during the week, says more in this regard. According to him, “If Gen Obasanjo’s endorsement is as worthless as they would have you believe, with the bitter grapes they’ve been spitting since, why did they go all the way to Ota and Abeokuta with their entourage? I was looking at the video of Emilokan almost prostrating for Obasanjo in his house. Nigerians know better. Gen Obasanjo is one person but he is an important person in the country, he has had his say and the people will still have their way. I pray that Nigerians will be sufficiently awakened to the need for drastic changes that this country demands. Gen Obasanjo has rightly said his mind and I completely agree with him for the very first time in my life”.

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For the convener of County First Movement, Chris Nwaokobia who was on same programme with Farotimi, “What is important is the merits of that letter. He did talk about the need for us to reinvent Nigeria, the need for us to re-fix, reshape and rework Nigeria for our collective goals and I think that’s what is fundamentally important here.

“With respect to what my brother and friend Dele has said, the reason he considers this as one of the most patriotic efforts is because largely, every paragraph of Obasanjo’s letter speaks to the issues of where we are as a nation and what must be done to fix our country”.

Nwaokobia agrees with Fasoranti that Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi is commendable.”Is the endorsement laudable? yes it is. Remember that few months ago, the APC delegation with cap in hands, hands akimbo if you like, was begging for the support of former president Olusegun Obasanjo; from Ota farms, to Abeokuta. In one of the optics that we saw, the former president was leading the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress by the hand like a school boy. Now, because they are losers… remember it happened with the Afenifere; there was nothing they didn’t do to polarise and mess up Afenifere but it didn’t work because the Elder Statesman stood to their guns, saying that never has Nigeria been polarized. Nigeria is even worse off than it was during the Civil War in terms of our unity as a nation”.

While maintaining that the value of Obasanjo’s endorsement is monumental, Nwaokobia stated that Gen Obasanjo “has been at the core of our politics and politricks”. He recalled that the former president’s public endorsement of a candidate was when he openly endorsed and campaigned for Muhammadu Buhari in 2014/2015. “In 2019, he wrote a letter, about 13 pages regarding the lacklustre watch of Muhammadu Buhari. I think to most people, that was an endorsement of Atiku Abubakar. But what is important here is that he has mobilized the class of former heads of states.”For those who are apprehensive or worried, Obasanjo is over 84 years; it comes to a point where you want to leave a legacy if that’s your last moment, to do what is right and he is saying simply that the time to take back our country is now. He has spoken clear truth to power and he is writing to the youth, challenging them to take back their country; for the time is now. It shouldn’t be Emilokan, it shouldn’t be about entitlement, it is about us. And I think that that letter passes as one of the most patriotic letters ever written by president Olusegun Obasanjo,” he intoned.

Reacting to other political parties which have dismissed the endorsement, declaring that it’s no guarantee that Peter Obi will win the presidential election, Farotimi said that it’s unfortunate that many people have reduced the important issues raised in the detailed letter to just two paragraphs containing the endorsement.

His words, “The importance of the letter I believe is that it gives a short history of the feelings and failure of the state and then offers hope for perhaps a rejuvenation of that same country. I would prefer we look at it as a call to action, than an endorsement. There is a class called the owners of Nigeria and there are Nigerians. Generally, these are the people who would evaluate the value of the words spoken by Gen Obasanjo; has he outlined the truth of our circumstances, if he has, has he made the right call even in the endorsement of Mr Peter Obi. These are value judgements to be made by the people of Nigeria.

“The summary given by Gen Obasanjo is an admission of generational failure. Even in the face of that feeling, there is the recognition of the fact that it belongs to the youth and it is up to us. So, the man is not suggesting that by his endorsement he has somehow acquired the capacity to decree into existence, a president in Aso Rock.”

He however noted that if people had refused to listen to Gen Obasanjo in the past, “it is demonstrative of the fact that the people thought better at that time; pain is a concentrating agent. We have had seven and half years of being buffeted and afflicted by the current government.

“The value of Obasanjo’s endorsement will be determined at the poll. I have no crystal ball but it might very well be that just as his words had resonated in me who had rebelled against his existence all my life, I’m sure it will resonate in a lot of Nigerians as well because he spoke the truth; the truth, you can’t argue with, that’s why nobody has argued with what he has said. All they have argued is the value of endorsement. Has he lied about a recap of history? they should talk to that…we thank him for his endorsement but we thank him more for the truth that he spoke”.

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Related Topics:Farotimi Featured Nwaokobia Obasanjo Obi

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Desmond Elliot Apologises to Gbajabiamila, Seeks Return to APC

Published

1 hour ago

September 14, 2026

Trends Admin

Desmond Elliot Apologises to Gbajabiamila, Seeks Return to APC

Former Lagos State House of Assembly member Desmond Elliot has publicly apologised to former Speaker of the House of Representatives and current Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, as he seeks to repair their relationship and return fully to the fold of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Elliot, who represented Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly from 2015, made the appeal amid renewed political activity ahead of the 2027 elections and after losing the APC ticket for the constituency in the party’s latest primary.

The former Nollywood actor’s latest appeal is the latest development in a political relationship that has experienced considerable strain in recent years.

Elliot had been regarded as a prominent political associate of Gbajabiamila, who represents Surulere in the broader Lagos political structure. Their relationship, however, came under pressure following political developments surrounding the Lagos State House of Assembly leadership crisis.

In his latest appeal, Elliot asked Gbajabiamila to forgive him for any offence he may have committed and expressed his desire for reconciliation.

The former lawmaker’s move comes after he failed to secure the APC nomination for Surulere Constituency I, effectively ending his bid for another term in the Lagos Assembly under the party.

Barakat Olawunmi Odunuga-Bakare emerged as the APC candidate following the party’s primary election.

The outcome marked a major setback for Elliot, who had sought to continue his legislative career after serving in the Assembly since 2015.

The political fallout between Elliot and sections of the Lagos APC leadership had previously become public during the controversy surrounding the leadership of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

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In May 2026, Elliot had also publicly apologised to Gbajabiamila, referring to him as his political mentor and acknowledging that he might have offended him.

“To err is human, to forgive is divine,” Elliot said while appealing for forgiveness.

He also denied allegations that he was involved in moves against then-Lagos Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, whose leadership had become the subject of intense political controversy.

Gbajabiamila had earlier said that he defended Elliot during the crisis and that the controversy had placed his own position as Chief of Staff to President Tinubu under pressure.

According to Gbajabiamila, allegations surrounding Elliot had contributed to a situation in which he was forced to explain his position to the President. He maintained that he had defended the former lawmaker and told Tinubu that Elliot was not part of the group behind the moves against Obasa.

The dispute therefore went beyond a personal disagreement and became intertwined with the wider political contest within the Lagos APC.

Elliot’s latest reconciliation effort comes against the backdrop of the changing political dynamics in Surulere and Lagos as political parties begin positioning themselves for the 2027 general elections.

The former lawmaker’s defeat in the APC primary also means that he will not return to the Lagos Assembly through the party’s ticket for the next legislative term.

The APC primary was described by Gbajabiamila as peaceful, fair and orderly, despite reports of tensions surrounding the contest and Elliot’s concerns about the process.

Elliot had previously obtained the APC nomination form in his bid to return to the Assembly, but he ultimately failed to secure the party’s endorsement.

Following the primary defeat, reports emerged that the former actor had returned to Nollywood, reviving his entertainment career after more than a decade in active politics.

Elliot became a household name in Nigeria through his work as an actor before entering politics. He represented Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos Assembly for three consecutive terms beginning in 2015.

His political career has been closely associated with the Lagos APC political structure, making his relationship with influential party figures particularly important to his future political ambitions.

The latest apology is therefore being viewed not only as an attempt to resolve a personal political disagreement but also as part of Elliot’s effort to rebuild relationships within the ruling party.

For the former lawmaker, reconciliation with Gbajabiamila could potentially help restore his standing within the Lagos political establishment, although his immediate political future remains uncertain following his loss at the APC primary.

The development also comes at a time when political alignments are rapidly evolving ahead of 2027, with politicians across Lagos and other parts of the country reassessing their alliances, party positions and electoral strategies.

While Elliot has expressed a desire to return to the APC fold, the extent to which the reconciliation will translate into a renewed political role remains unclear.

For now, his public appeal to Gbajabiamila marks another attempt by the former lawmaker to close a difficult chapter in their political relationship and rebuild bridges within the Lagos APC.

Desmond Elliot Apologises to Gbajabiamila, Seeks Return to APC

Politics

2027: Sowore Promises ₦500,000 Minimum Wage, Free Education, 24-Hour Electricity

Published

2 hours ago

September 14, 2026

Trends Admin

Omoyele Sowore

2027: Sowore Promises ₦500,000 Minimum Wage, Free Education, 24-Hour Electricity

African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has unveiled an ambitious agenda for the 2027 presidential election, promising a ₦500,000 monthly living minimum wage, 24-hour electricity, free education and the construction of one million public mixed-income homes if elected president.

Sowore said the proposals were part of the AAC’s 2027 agenda, which he described as a programme focused on improving living standards, expanding access to essential services and fundamentally changing the way Nigeria’s economy is managed.

At the centre of the proposal is a ₦500,000 minimum wage, which Sowore said would give Nigerian workers a more realistic income in the face of rising living costs.

He argued that workers should not continue to receive wages that are inadequate to meet basic needs while the cost of food, housing, transportation, healthcare and education continues to increase.

Sowore’s proposed wage would represent a substantial increase over Nigeria’s existing statutory minimum wage and would have significant implications for both public-sector finances and private employers if implemented nationwide.

The AAC candidate also promised to deliver 24-hour electricity, making reliable power supply a central pillar of his economic programme.

Sowore argued that Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful industrialisation when businesses and households remain heavily dependent on generators because of unreliable electricity supply.

He said his administration would prioritise the power sector to ensure that electricity becomes a dependable foundation for industrial production, small businesses, job creation and economic growth.

The presidential hopeful also promised free education at all levels, arguing that poverty should not prevent Nigerian children and young people from accessing quality education.

He said his proposed education policy would seek to remove financial barriers that prevent families from keeping their children in school, while improving access to educational opportunities.

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Housing is another major component of Sowore’s proposed programme.

He promised to construct one million public mixed-income homes, saying the initiative would help address Nigeria’s housing shortage while providing more affordable accommodation for people across different income groups.

He also proposed reforms to the country’s tenancy system, including measures to address the widespread practice of demanding lengthy rent advances from tenants.

Sowore said his government would treat healthcare as a right rather than a privilege, with increased investment in the country’s health system and measures designed to reduce the need for Nigerians to travel abroad for medical treatment.

His economic programme also includes plans to industrialise Nigeria, expand agriculture, improve infrastructure and create more dignified employment opportunities.

Sowore said agriculture would receive greater attention under his proposed administration, particularly through increased local production, processing and value addition.

He has argued that Nigeria should move away from excessive dependence on the export of raw commodities and instead develop industries capable of processing its agricultural and mineral resources locally.

The AAC candidate also promised reforms in the security sector, including improved welfare for security personnel and greater use of technology in combating terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminality.

He proposed the deployment of modern technologies, including drones and intelligence systems, as part of efforts to strengthen security operations.

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Sowore has positioned his campaign as an alternative to Nigeria’s established political order, arguing that successive governments have failed to adequately tackle poverty, corruption, unemployment, inequality and poor public services.

He said Nigeria’s resources should be used to improve the quality of life of ordinary citizens rather than being concentrated among a relatively small political and economic elite.

The AAC candidate has also said his campaign would seek financial support from ordinary Nigerians, rather than relying heavily on wealthy political patrons.

According to Sowore, a people-funded campaign would allow the party to maintain greater independence and remain accountable to citizens rather than powerful sponsors.

His proposals come as political parties and presidential candidates begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 Nigerian presidential election.

Sowore is seeking to build on his previous presidential campaigns and present the AAC as a distinct alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and other established political parties.

The scale of his latest promises is likely to generate debate over their cost, funding and implementation.

A ₦500,000 minimum wage would significantly increase personnel costs for governments and could also place additional pressure on private-sector employers. Its implementation would therefore require careful consideration of productivity, inflation, government revenue and the ability of businesses to absorb higher labour costs.

Delivering 24-hour electricity would similarly require substantial investment in power generation, transmission and distribution, as well as reforms to address longstanding challenges involving gas supply, infrastructure, electricity pricing and distribution efficiency.

The proposed construction of one million homes and the provision of free education would also require significant public funding, planning and institutional capacity.

Sowore’s campaign is therefore placing a combination of higher wages, reliable electricity, free education, affordable housing, healthcare, industrialisation, job creation and security reforms at the centre of its 2027 message.

As the political contest gathers momentum, the feasibility and funding of competing candidates’ promises are expected to become important issues for voters assessing the various options ahead of the election.