Atiku was the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the flawed February 25 election. He and Obi disputed the outcome of the controversial election, and are yet to congratulate President Bola Tinubu for his purported victory.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, was the Vice Presidential candidate of PDP in the 2019 elections.
In November 2020, Obi won an online independent poll that was conducted to assess who Nigerians would like to become president in 2023.
The poll which was conducted by www.mentimeter.com sampled other Nigerian political figures like Bukola Saraki, Babangida Zulum, Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, Nasir Elrufai, Ben Bruce, Nyesom Wike and Peter Obi.
After Nigerians from all walks of life voted in the online independent poll, Bukola Saraki scored 4%, Babangida Zulum 10%, Bola Tinubu 4%, Atiku Abubakar 6%, Nasir Elrufai 2%, Ben Bruce 5%, Nyesom Wike 2% and Peter Obi 34%.
The Labour Party’s standard bearer scored above every other political egghead that was sampled in the poll by sweeping over 34% of the votes.
Though, Peter Obi during his administration as the governor of Anambra performed credibly well which somewhat made him to become a strong and capable force to reckon with.
Arguably, Nigerians are still desperately looking for a competent hand that will change the political tide in the country after the Muhammadu Buhari administration failed to deliver on all the electoral promises made to Nigerians.
Since Tinubu succeeded Buhari last May, it has caused suffering and more hardship for the citizenry, though Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State is accusing Buhari of handing over a dead economy to Tinubu.
Soludo said this on Thursday while reacting to the policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.
“This economy inherited a dead economy. From a macroeconomic point of view, this government inherited a dead horse that was still standing and people didn’t know it was dead,” the former CBN governor stressed.
“Because you can’t pour water on a rock and not expect the rock not to be wet, there are humongous challenges and I think it is important that Nigerians understand this and it is not a tea party.”
Soludo, while explaining his role in putting curbs on monetary structures when he headed the apex bank between 2004 and 2009, accused the CBN of illegally printing money.
“We must realize where we are coming from. We sat here in this country and saw the monetary authorities literally printing money, illegally I must say, because I supervised the development and drafting of the 2007 Bank Act.
“And to prevent us from where we are today, that is why we had an explicit clause there that prevents the Central Bank from lending recklessly to the Federal Government. That you can not grant to the Federal Government more than 5 percent of the previous year’s actual revenue”, Soludo said.
While maintaining that the CBN failed to comply with the 2007 CBN Act, adding that the current monetary trajectory was avoidable in the first place, Soludo adds, “we all sat here and saw how the CBN brazenly, illegally violated that law year after year and kept on printing money,” the governor said.
“When you continue to credit the account of government, one trillion people shouted, two trillion,10 trillion, 15 trillion and 20 trillion and we kept going
Interestingly, the Senate has vowed to sack and jail the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari and other top executive officers of petroleum subsidiaries.
The Red Chamber of the National Assembly specifically threatened to sack the executive officers whose agencies were involved in the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) projects of refineries in the country.
The senate which on Wednesday, noted that from 2010 till date, over N12 trillion has been spent on TAM, also said that it has records of over $592 million, €4.8 million and £3.4 million spent between 2010 till date on TAM, yet none of the refineries is working.
However, Obi extended his congratulatory message in a short statement posted on his official X handle, where he commended Atiku for his socio-political and economic contributions towards the development of Nigeria and also his unique role in deepening democracy.
“Your Excellency, My Very dear Respected Elder Brother and leader, Alhaji @atiku Abubakar, Waziri Adamawa, I rejoice with you as you mark your 77th birthday today.
“Along with your family, friends and numerous well-wishers, I celebrate your many contributions to the socio-political and economic development of our beloved country and in particular your unique role in deepening our nation’s democracy.
“You have undoubtedly positively impacted the nation’s economic growth through your various business establishments which not only create jobs for our people but add to our overall national productivity.
“May God grant you more wisdom to continue to contribute to the progress of our dear nation and to grant you more healthy and fruitful years ahead as you age gracefully. Happy birthday Sir”, Obi said.
