AMID controversies and drama that have continued to trail the just-concluded presidential elections conducted over two weeks ago, former Cross Rivers State Governor, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Donald Duke has revealed the role he played in Peter Obi’s decision to leave the former ruling party for a different political platform.
Recall that back in 2022, Obi’s defection from the PDP to the Labour Party just less than a month before the former ruling party’s presidential primaries made headlines in the nation’s media space. Though the reason for his exit was not known at the time, the rumor mill was rife with claims that he may have been forced out by a south-south governor who was also gunning for the presidential ticket.
However, speaking during an interview, Duke explained that he urged Obi to leave the PDP if he intended to keep his support base of youths that was growing across the country. According to the former Cross River State governor, it would have been impossible for young persons who were seeking a shift from the old political establishment to support Obi if he were still in the PDP.
He said; “it’s amazing for someone to start a movement and grow it to such a size within six months. Peter is a symbol. But it’s not him. What has he said that we have not heard before? But he is a symbol that reflects two things; he reflects the anger of the people and also what we could be as a country. He says the right things and people have keyed into it.
“Now, if Peter were still in the PDP, he wouldn’t have gotten that kind of traction. And I said to him; you have an army of young people who have hope in you, what are you going to do with them? They are not going to join the PDP or APC. But they have tasted blood and want to be involved in the governance and politics of the country and they see you as an arrowhead. For you to reflect and know what to do with them, you have to provide a platform for them.”
Eighteen-Eleven Media