8 Peter Obi: Inside campaign style of an opposition running mate
The October 13 announcement of Mr. Peter Obi, a two-term former governor of Anambra State by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was mostly seen as unexpected, and said by pundits to be a masterstroke.
Atiku had said that Obi’s choice as running mate was largely influenced by his youthfulness, knowledge of global and local economics, all experience which Nigeria is in great need of today.
In all the places Obi campaigned, the show of acceptance, cementing the gains of the PDP in the build-up to today’s poll, show that Obi is a factor to the success of PDP.
Most of the time the PDP presidential campaign trail was out in various states, Obi was there in the trenches, the markets, and even the farms, collating opinions and concerns from Nigerians and also telling what his partnership with Atiku will offer to consolidate gains and broker new grounds.
In one of such reports, Peter Obi’s surprise visit to a market in the North Central was met with so many cheers that he appeared unable to speak. And when he finally spoke and stated how
Danlami Garba, 72, husband of two wives and father of thirteen children, lives a life of battle. An indigene of Kano State, he comes from a very humble background. Once, he had been leading a quiet life with his family when a serious health challenge began. Now he is faced with two major battles: fighting for what to eat and fighting not to be eaten up by what he described as tumours on both legs, around his shins and partially on his ankles.
Garba began to see life as a battlefield the moment he was diagnosed with the deadly disease over 14 years ago. A huge sum of money was required for the doctors to give him medical attention. Since none was forthcoming and there was no one to help, he was faced with the temptation of begging for alms. But he was determined not to. This unpleasant development led him to leave his two wives and thirteen children in Kano to search for greener pastures somewhere else. Eventually, he found himself in Mararaba, Nassarawa State.
Meanwhile, all his children he was going to introduce the MSMEs model used in supporting innovation in most of Asia, to Nigeria, the audience burst into song. That seemed to be the case whenever he takes a surprise trip to the various markets in the SouthWest and the South-East, where he comes from. The South-South was no different.
Some of what he sold to his listeners during the campaign trains included his effort at bringing Anambra State from 28th to 1st in education in the country; his frugal behaviour which people see as a panacea to the many cases of wastage that has besieged the foundations of the nation.
Mr. Ekwueme Roy Ifeanyichukwu, an Enugu-born political economist and social activist said, “Obi is loved, and no matter how anyone tries to throw mud at him, it never sticks. He is the force behind the Atiku’s grassroots campaign and he is part of the reason the PDP has become a stronger competitor in the upcoming presidential election, not minding that a few months ago, people were labelling the presidential election as a walkover for the APC.”
In another instance and despite being a work day, the PDP presidential and vice presidential candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi received unprecedented had to discontinue their education because their father’s deteriorating health and financial challenge was already a heavy burden for the entire family to carry.
Although Malam Garba found his way to Mararaba, 11 years ago, as a stranger, his relentless struggle for survival has made and overwhelming reception on their campaign to Lagos State from their numerous supporters.
The various speakers at the rally hinted on “the challenges the country has been facing under the present administration, including insecurity, bad economy and job losses.
Mr. Peter Obi solicited votes based on the pro-business manifesto of the Atiku candidacy.
A scenario of Mr. Obi’s him not only popular but also a good example to many other indigent Nigerians afflicted with a life-threatening disease.
Garba treks from one refuse dump site to another as a scavenger, picking up discarded shoes and mending them with the intention of reselling at very dexterity across the country was such that nothing controversial was linked to his contributions during the campaigns.
When the PDP took their campaign trains to major markets in Anambra State, including Building Material Market at Ogidi, New Tyre Market at Ogidi, Afor Igwe, Umudioka, Oye Olisa, Ogbunike, and New Parts, Nkpor, among others, Obi told the traders that today’s election would be affordable prices to interested buyers. Gradually, he was able to raise capital to start up his shoe selling business. He uses the money he makes from such transactions to purchase more trendy shoes from Kaduna and sell in Mararaba market.
“Some persons give me the about saving the country from total collapse.
Born July 19, 1961, Obi attended the Christ the King College, Onitsha and later proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. He is also a graduate of several international and national institutions. He also is a professional who has laid footprints across the corporate world.
Attacked by a skin condition, he left his hometown in Kano with the intention of begging for alms in Mararaba, but today he sells shoes for a living and is not giving up anytime soon.
shoes on credit and after sales, I pay up,” he explained. “The little profit made from the business is what I use to manage the disease through the use of traditional medicine. At times, some buyers who see my condition would ask me to keep the change as a show of sympathy while some will not buy or collect their change when they notice my condition. I left my hometown in Kano with the intention of coming here to beg but changed my mind when I saw the ill-treatment beggars got,” he said.
After a hard day’s job, Garba spends the cold night in the market because he cannot afford to rent a house. Despite earning a meager income from his petty business, he still has to squeeze out money to make use of a public toilet daily.
In the face of these battles, he said his deepest pain, however, is the rejection by some persons who will not eat with him from the same plate. Garba would not wish this treatment for his worst enemy and believed government and the well-to-do in the society can do a lot to help people like him who are not only less privileged but also struggling with a deadly diseases.