Segun Sowunmi, the former spokesperson for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election, has revealed his admiration for Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State and Atiku's running mate.
In an interview with media personality Seun Okin, posted on the official Instagram page of themiconpodcast, Sowunmi said he would have loved to see Obi as the vice president of Nigeria, to demonstrate his practical skills and abilities.
Sowunmi, who recently won the PDP governorship ticket in Ogun State²³, praised Obi for his visionary and futuristic ideas, but also challenged him to go beyond mere talk and show evidence of his actions.
He said, "Imagine if we have been lucky to make Peter Obi the vice president so that we can see the practical, talk is cheap. Sometimes, when I look at the things that Peter Obi is saying, I ask myself, does Peter Obi know what he's saying? If you can reduce Peter Obi to somebody who would just say, I want to do anti-corruption no more."
Sowunmi expressed his curiosity about Obi's understanding of the implications of his statements, especially on the issue of anti-corruption, which he said is a complex and multifaceted problem.
He said, "Does he know what it means to say I want to do anti-corruption no more? Does he know the depth of the corruption in Nigeria? Does he know the institutional challenges that we have? Does he know the cultural and social factors that are driving corruption? Does he know the political and economic consequences of corruption?"
Sowunmi also wondered if Obi has the capacity and the will to implement his ideas in practice, and to face the resistance and opposition that may arise from the entrenched interests and forces in the country.
He said, "Does he have the courage to do what he says he wants to do? Does he have the competence to do what he says he wants to do? Does he have the support and the network to do what he says he wants to do? Does he have the vision and the strategy to do what he says he wants to do?"
Sowunmi concluded by saying that he respects Obi as a leader and a thinker, but he would have preferred to see him as a doer and a performer.
He said, "I respect Peter Obi as a leader and a thinker. He has a lot of good ideas and insights. But I would have wished for him to be the vice president, so that we can see him in action, and not just in words.".
