Presidential race: Oby Ezekwesili can’t win a polling booth – Fani Kayode
Marcus Fatunmole (Abuja)
Chieftain of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Femi Fani-Kayode, has berated former Minister of Education and erstwhile candidate of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) Oby Ezekwesili, for opting out of February 16 presidential poll.
In a post on his verified Facebook page, Thursday, the former Minister of Aviation said Ezekwesili could not win a polling unit, even if she chose to participate in the race.
Ezekwesili stunned her supporters and party when she withdrew from the race via a statement from her campaign office Thursday morning.
She had been seen as a strong female contender, though running on a trifling platform, for the election.
Fani-Kayode justified his party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, refusal to participate in last week debate organized for candidates seeking the office of the nation’s president by Nigeria Election Debate Group and Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria.
Fani-Kayode, a lawyer and former Minister of Culture and Tourism said Ezekwesili, candidate of the Action Alliance, Omoyele Sowore and his Alliance for New Nigeria counterpart, Fela Durotoye who were present at the debate “were clearly spoiler candidates who were on a malevolent errand of mischief, who were never to be taken seriously and whose hearts secretly lay with the tyrant all along.”
He was however convinced that candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Kingsley Moghalu, who also took part in the dabate, is sincere with his campaign promises. But, his chance of becoming Nigeria’s president is not now, but sometimes in the future, Fani-Kayode said.
His words: “Obi Ezekwesili has finally opted out of a presidential race in which she had little chance of winning even one per cent of the votes.
“It would have been easier for a pregnant Somalian chimpanzee or a four-eyed Zambian frog to be invited to Buckingham Palace for lunch with the Queen than for this so-called “presidential aspirant” to win one polling booth, let alone one ward or one Local Govermment Area, in the race.
“The fact that Oby’s running mate, one Galadima, and her political party endorsed Buhari three hours after she opted out of the race speaks volumes.
“She, Fola Durotoye and Omoyele Sowore were clearly spoiler candidates who were on a malevolent errand of mischief, who were never to be taken seriously and whose hearts secretly lay with the tyrant all along.
“I have no doubt that those who claim that Oby and the other “not too young to run” presidential aspirants, with the possible exception of George Moghalu, were just a front for Buhari and a futile attempt to take votes away from Atiku Abubakar and the PDP.
“The wisdom of Atiku refusing to participate in a debate with these unconciable jokers and desperate pretenders cannot be faulted or questioned.
“They did not deserve the attention that they so desperately sought and their motives for participating in the presidential race are, to say the least, questionable.
“The only one amongst them that had anything meaningful to say or to offer and that spoke from the heart and with full sincerity of purpose was George Moghalu. This is a deeply courageous man that I have come to respect.
“Nevertheless I urge him to opt out of the race and throw his weight behind Atiku. This is not George’s time but something tells me that sometime in the distant future he has a date with destiny.”
