The Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council has said that the flag bearer of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi is not holding any form of discussion with Atiku Abubakar, his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Head of Media of the Campaign Council, Diran Onifade, who made this known in a statement on Wednesday, maintained that Obi has no intention to step down for Atiku.
Atiku had reportedly said he is in talks with Obi and the torchbearer of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso ahead of this month’s presidential poll.
However, Obi’s campaign team said the claim is totally false and baseless, insisting that the former Anambra State governor is in the race for Aso Rock top job to win and not to step down.
“We have been inundated with enquiries about the claim of an on-going discussion between our Presidential ticket and the camp of PDP’s Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar,” the statement partly read.
“For emphasis, we wish to repeat, as we have said all day, that the claim is totally false and baseless. We are not in any talks with Atiku or anyone else with a view to stepping down from a race in which we are the frontrunner.
“Peter Obi is in the contest to win in consonance with the aspiration of majority of Nigerians who desire a New Nigeria devoid of lies, corruption and selfish scheming.”
Obi was a member of the PDP till weeks before the PDP presidential primary last May when he dumped the party “based on principles”. He would later emerge LP’s presidential primary. Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in the 2019 presidential election under the banner of the PDP, frequently referred to the former vice-president as his “elder brother”.