I did not say Peter Obi should be President - Chie Olu Falae Clarifies,Endorses SDP Presidential Candidate

Chief Olu Falae, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has denied endorsing the Labour Party's presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, had previously declared Obi as its preferred candidate.

However, the former Minister has chosen to come out in order to fulfill a long-standing promise to support the SDP's presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo.

"I have stated on numerous occasions that the Social Democratic Party, SDP, has the best manifesto of any political party in Nigeria. And, in the 2023 presidential election, Prince Adewole Adebayo of the SDP is the best choice on merit. He understands the issues and has proposed the most realistic and effective solutions to Nigeria's current problems. I urge Nigerians to support the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo.

“The report that I threw my weight behind calls for a South-East presidency or Peter Obi is not true”,_ Chief Olu Falae has clarified the situation.

Chief Falae, the Deputy National Leader of Afenifere, also stated that he was unaware of any position taken by the well-known Yoruba Social Cultural group, Afenifere, to back or support Mr. Peter Obi.

“I did say sometimes ago that the Yoruba, as a people, are not morally obliged to vote for an Igbo presidential candidate or Peter Obi because in 1999, when the rest of Nigeria conceded the presidency to Yoruba because of the MKO Abiola’s issue, it was only the Igbo, who did not accept.”

“I had to defeat Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife in the Alliance for Democracy to become the candidate for the AD/APP Alliance. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo had to defeat Dr Alex Ekuweme in the PDP to become a candidate. The Igbo were the only ones that opposed both of us in our respective parties; they did not concede to us along with other Nigerians. However, the Yoruba are fair-minded people and some of them could vote for Peter Obi.”

“I have said times without number that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has the most effective programmes for social justice and Nigeria’s recovery. I have endorsed SDP’s Presidential Candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo and not Perter Obi.”...Chief Olu Falae said.