The senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the Anambra Central senatorial district, Senator Uche Ekwunife has denied endorsing Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party for the February 25th election.
Ekwunife, in a statement she personally signed on Sunday said that Obi does not have the capacity to garner the required spread across the country to win the presidential election.
However, she described the former governor as a force to be reckoned with in the forthcoming general elections.
The statement is in response to an online report which claimed that she had endorsed Obi for president.
Both Ekwunife and Obi are from Anambra state. The duo had a good political relationship before Peter Obi decamped from the PDP to the Labour Party in May 2022.
Ekwunife is seeking reelection as senator for Anambra Central on the ticket of the PDP. She was a former member of the House of Representatives.
The statement titled, ‘My purported endorsement of Peter Obi’, reads “It has come to my notice that an online blog has been circulating articles claiming that I have endorsed the presidential candidate of the LP, Mr Peter Obi, in the forthcoming February poll.
“It further attributed statements that may translate as adopting Obi as my candidate for the election.
“I want to state categorically that those statements never emanated from me or my campaign council.
“I also, wish to state that Peter Obi is my leader and an elder brother from Anambra Central whom I respect and hold in high esteem.
“But our political aspiration has become divergent, hence, the need for me to focus on delivering our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the vice presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, who are of the PDP.
“May I restate that I’m of the PDP and we have candidates in all the elective positions across Nigeria and I cannot at this point, work against my party or any of her candidates for whatever reasons?
“Peter Obi is no doubt, a force to reckon with in the election, but will not be able to garner the required spread that will secure a win, unlike Atiku who has everything it takes to win the election with a high margin.”
She urged the people of Anambra and Nigerians to support Atiku’s presidential candidacy as a “project to rescue Nigeria and get her on the path of greatness.”
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.