Chatham House has invited the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi to discuss his plans for Nigerians ahead of the 2023 elections.
Chatham House is a world-leading policy institute with a mission to help governments and societies build a sustainably secure, prosperous and just world.
It is called Chatham House because the building is a Grade I listed 18th-century house in St James’s Square, designed in part by Henry Flitcroft and occupied by three British Prime Ministers, including William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham.
Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, is expected to attend the event slated for 16 January, 2023 in London, the United Kingdom.
The event is part of a series of events and outputs examining Nigeria’s 2023 elections.
The tweet confirming the invite read: “🇳🇬 Nigeria’s 2023 Elections: In Conversation with @PeterObi
“The second of our events examining #Nigeria’s 2023 elections and political developments will take place on the 16th of January 2023
“— Chatham House Africa (@AfricaProg) December 8, 2022”
On 5 December, 2022, Obi’s counterpart in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu made an appearance at Chatham House in London, where he revealed some of his plans for major sectors like defense, economy, education, and technology.
Tinubu had also delegated some of his allies including serving governors and lawmakers to answer questions posed by participants at the event, one which attracted widespread criticisms.
He was accompanied to the lecture by House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila; Governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Abubakar Bello (Niger), Ben Ayade (Cross Rivers), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), David Umahi (Ebonyi) as well as former governor of Ekiti, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and ex-National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole.
Others were former deputy governor of Lagos, Chief Femi Pedro; former Lagos Commissioner for Information, Deji Alake; PCC Finance director, Olawale Edun; Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, former deputy governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Adesegun, Hadiza Bala-Usman and popular Lagos chieftain, Alhaji Mutiu Are.
The North-West Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress under the leadership of Governor Bello Matawalle and his deputy zonal coordinator, Dr Salihu Lukman, however, applauded the performance of the party standard bearer, Bola Tinubu, at Chatham House in London, saying he displayed a vast knowledge of issues affecting the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday morning by the PCC spokesperson, Muhammad Molash, the council commended the APC candidate on his successful outing in London.
The statement read in part: “Chatham house has been a source of independent analysis,trusted dialogue and influential ideas for over 100 years.
“Therefore,it is the right place for Asiwaju to demonstrate his team-work acumen,both in politics and governance.”
Peter Obi, Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the frontline candidates in the 2023 presidential race.