Pat Utomi, professor of political economy, says he will withdraw his support for Peter Obi’s presidential bid if the former Anambra governor accepts a vice-president position ahead of the 2027 election.
Utomi, who has publicly backed Obi’s bid for the presidency,
said his support is based on the belief that Obi should seek the highest office
rather than serve as another candidate’s running mate.
In a statement posted on X, Utomi said he considered it
necessary to restate his position as political activities ahead of the 2027
election gather momentum.
“I have said this before, and I believe it is important to
remind Nigerians of my position as we approach 2027. Peter Obi has my support
for the presidency,” he said.
“But my position is clear, I am not supporting the idea of
Peter Obi becoming somebody else’s Vice President.
“The day Peter Obi accepts a Vice Presidential position, I
will walk away from his corner. I have said this plainly, and I stand by it.”
Utomi said his position was not about personalities but
reflected his view of the kind of leadership Nigeria needs.
He also called for a national discussion on the age of
politicians seeking executive positions, proposing that presidential and
governorship candidates should be no older than 70.
“The Nigerian presidency should not become a retirement home
for politicians,” he said.
“I believe there should be a serious national conversation
about limiting presidential and gubernatorial candidates to those aged 70 or
below.
“Nigeria needs leadership that is focused on the future, not
simply another cycle of political succession.
“These are principles I have stated publicly, and Nigerians
should judge them for themselves.”
Obi, who was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in
the 2023 election, is now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic
Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com