Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has endorsed the candidacy of Mr Peter Obi for the 2023 general elections.

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has similarly endorsed Obi, indicating readiness to campaign for him.

Chief Clark announced his position at a news briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.

The elder statesman based his endorsement of Mr Obi, who is the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party on traits he believes are critical to leading the country.

Explaining further, he cited honesty, trust and transparency, all of which he said Mr Obi displayed when he was governor of Anambra State.

Chief Clark called on Mr Obi to tackle the issues of the injustices and environmental degradation in the Niger Delta region if elected as President.

The Ijaw leader’s backing is the second high-profile endorsement to be received by Mr Obi in three days.

It came on a day when a third heavyweight, Governor Orom, also threw his weight behind Obi.

Ortom is one of five aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) known as the G5 or Integrity Group. Others are Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia).

The governors have refrained from campaigning for the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar amid opposition to the party’s National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu coming from the same region as the standard bearer.

Ortom’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Terver Akase, in a statement on Tuesday, said the governor “strongly recommends Peter Obi to Nigerians as the man who has the capacity to effectively tackle the economic, security and other challenges facing the country.”

Akase noted that the governor is convinced that Obi “possesses the qualities of a leader who will be a true President of this country by guaranteeing justice, equity and fairness for all Nigerians.”

Ortom said the President that Nigeria needs at this “challenging time” in its history is one who understands the urgent need to unite the people and speedily initiate policies and actions to redirect the ship of the nation on the path of growth and development.

According to him, Peter Obi has all those qualities.

‘Peter Obi As A Mentee Has An Edge’

Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, endorsed Mr Obi for President on Sunday.

In a New Year message that he signed personally, the former President said Mr Obi had an edge over all the candidates in the race.

He said, “None of the contestants is a saint but when one compares their character, antecedent, their understanding, knowledge, discipline, and vitality that they can bring to bear and the great efforts required to stay focused on the job, particularly looking at where the country is today and with the experience on the job that I personally had, Peter Obi as a mentee has an edge.

“Others like all of us have what they can collectively contribute to the new dispensation to liberation, restoration, and salvaging of Nigeria.

“One other important point to make about Peter is that he is a needle with thread attached to it from North and South and he may not get lost.”

Chief Obasanjo’s endorsement has sparked strong criticism from other Presidential candidates and their parties with the APC and the PDP faulting him and moving to dismiss the former President’s political influence.

Amid the negative reactions from other contenders and parties, Benue State Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom, on Tuesday backed the former President and praised Mr Obi’s qualities. (Pieced togeter from seprate reports by Channels TV)

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