2023: Obasanjo Mobilises South Against Atiku, Wants Power Shift

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has started mobilising strategic stakeholders in the southern part of the country against the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Political sources, who confirmed the move, said the former president, who expressed unhappiness at the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential candidate ahead of his southern counterparts, argued that power should return to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years as president.

Atiku emerged PDP candidate for a second time in four years at the MKO National Stadium late Saturday, scoring a total of 371 Votes to defeat his closest rival, Nyesom Wike, who scored 237 votes.

The sources said Obasanjo’s grievances with Atiku may not be unconnected to the longstanding differences since they both acted as president and vice president of the country, when Atiku rose to fame.

However, Obasanjo forgave and supported Atiku in the last general elections which the latter lost to an incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

But sources said Obasanjo would rather have another person win the PDP presidential ticket instead of the former vice president and that is why he is determined to mobilise Southern leaders against Atiku at the 2023 general elections.