Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has revealed that he and Senator Ben Murray-Bruce were instrumental in selecting Peter Obi as Atiku Abubakar's running mate in the 2019 general elections.
In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Omokri claimed that Obi had sent him his CV unsolicited and repeatedly called to follow up. "He was sending me CV unsolicited," Omokri stated, adding that he would "disgrace" Obi if the latter denied these claims.
According to Omokri, Atiku had personally requested his help in finding a suitable vice-presidential candidate. "Atiku called me and said I should headhunt a vice presidential candidate for him. As he dropped the phone, the next person I called was President Jonathan. And President Jonathan told me it is Peter Obi," he explained.
Interestingly, Omokri admitted that he was not personally fond of Obi but proceeded with the recommendation out of loyalty to former President Jonathan. "I don't particularly like Peter Obi. The reason I was doing that is that I was instructed by former President Jonathan that this is the man he wants, and I'm a loyal person," Omokri revealed.
Political Background
Peter Obi served as Atiku Abubakar's running mate under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform during the 2019 general elections. The duo ultimately lost to the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Obi later left the PDP to become the presidential candidate for the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, where he garnered significant support, particularly among young voters.
Omokri's revelations come amid ongoing realignments in Nigerian politics as attention gradually shifts toward the 2027 general elections.
As of publication time, Peter Obi has not responded to Omokri's claims.
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