The former spokesman of Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign organization, Kenneth Okonkwo, has said he does not support the call for politicians to drop ambition for others.
The Nollywood veteran said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) former presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, should submit themselves to a primary election if the coalition move works.
Okonkwo stated that suggesting one candidate drop ambition for another could undermine the capacity needed to challenge the ruling party in the general election.
Naija News reports that the former All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain said this on Monday in an interview with Arise News.
“In politics, candidates have the choice to get into their own discussion and negotiation. But for me, my own take is that whoever believes that he’s qualified to be president should submit himself for a free and fair primary election. That toughness that we’re going to face in the primary will determine the person that has the capacity to face the tough challenge in the general election.
“I am not in the league of people trying to persuade anybody to step down for anybody. That should be the decision of the candidate himself, because I wouldn’t want anybody to come out and say, I’m leaving this coalition or this party because I was pressured to give up my ambition. I wouldn’t have loved to be this or that. So whatever Atiku or Obi are discussing should be left for them. But for me, whoever wants to contest for the presidency should submit himself and contest for the presidency and let the people decide,” he said.