Despite claims in 2014 that he will not make himself available for any elective position, Peter Obi, had failed on this promise twice – 2019 and 2023 vying most recently for the presidency on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).
Towards the end of his tenure, Obi was a guest where his former Commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Dubem Obaze received a chieftaincy title from the coalition of all traditional rulers in Anambra North.
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The event happened on 28th June 2014 at Ochuche in Ogbaru Local Government in Anambra State.
NewStori citing a quote from Daily Post online reported that Obi said:
“I started telling people during my second tenure in office as governor that I will not aspire for any elective position in the country, but some people thought I was joking.
To further reiterate his believe and readiness as at then, Obi went further to affirm that he is prepared to serve at any capacity in a non-elective position rather than being voted for at the national level.
To his credit, this is what he said:
Some have even been speculating that I will be contesting for Senate for Anambra Central in 2015 or for another elective position at the national level and I want to say here that I have no such ambition. However, I am prepared to make myself available for the service of my country in non- elective position.
“I believe that after serving as governor for eight years, I should allow other people go for political offices meant for the state. There is therefore no truth in the rumour that I want to contest for senate next year.”
Not just that Obi has outgrown his thoughts in 2014, he also did not fulfill his promise to remain in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) no matter the nature of assignment he is carrying out for the nation.
As at then, he promised he would continue to ensure that the party becomes stronger while staying put but has since moved on to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) where he ran as the Vice Presidential candidate with Atiku Abubakar in 2019.
In 2023, he switched to the Labour Party (LP) after when he sensed he could not get the PDP presidential ticket and became a force to reckon with with his OBIdients movement which has gradually taken sway among most youths and he was third at the recently concluded polls behind the winner, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
