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Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja

Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo SAN has described the New Year day endorsement of Labour Party LP Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as a bad commentary on the chances of the Presidential Candidate of Nigeria’s main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Declaring that the endorsement is of no effect on the APC standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the minister who is the Director, Public Affairs and Chief Spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council PCC however said the former president was well within his rights to make his choices known.

The Minister in a tweet noted as Atiku’s former boss, Obasanjo’s adoption of Obi implies that the former president does not believe that Atiku deserves to be Nigeria’s president at this time.

Keyamo added that the little support Obasanjo extended to Atiku in the 2019 general election, which he lost to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC, has now been withdrawn and given to Mr Obi.

He said; “Quite within OBJ’s right to endorse anyone, but bad for PDP in two ways: One, Atiku’s former boss does not think he deserves to be President this time around. Two, the little support OBJ gave PDP in 2019 and they failed, he has taken that away to LP. No effect at all on @officialABAT”.

Obasanjo while endorsing Obi had conceded that “none of the contestants is a saint”.

He said; “but when one compares their character, antecedents, their understanding, knowledge, discipline and vitality that they can bring to bear and the great efforts required to stay focused on the job particularly looking at where the country is today and with the experience on the job that I personally had, Peter Obi as a mentee has an edge.

“Others like all of us have what they can contribute to the new dispensation to liberation, restoration and salvaging of Nigeria collectively.

“One other important point to make about Peter is that he is a needle with thread attached to it from North and South and he may not get lost. In other words, he has people who can pull his ears, if and when necessary. Needless to say that he has a young and able running mate with a clean track record of achievement both in public and private life”.