Presidential of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed were absent at the unveiling of their presidential campaign council on Wednesday.
Gatekeepers News reports that as the event was ongoing, Obi tweeted that he was attending the 52nd Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) conference.
The former governor of Anambra wrote, “I just arrived at the 52nd ICAN Annual Accountants Conference. -PO.”
I just arrived at the 52nd ICAN Annual Accountants Conference. -PO pic.twitter.com/vo0Zb4cxOd
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) October 12, 2022
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Doyin Okupe,
The Director-General of the Campaign Council, Doyin Okupe, while speaking at the unveiling ceremony said the processes through which Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar emerged as Presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are “dishonourable” and “flawed”.
Okupe said, “In all honesty, these errors of selfish and opportunistic political manipulation are not only short-sighted and dangerous, but strike at the very heart of Nigeria’s peaceful coexistence, and in fact the very survival of the nation as an entity.
“And that is why, in response to this affront to good judgement, more than at any time in our history, our country is today witnessing her hottest, fiercest, and most dynamic citizen-led political experience, spearheaded largely by the youth population.
The Director-General of the LP campaign described the ‘Obidient’ movement as organic.
He added, “At this juncture, for the avoidance of doubt, let me state here clearly that our party, the Labour Party, as well as the Obi-Datti presidential ticket of the party, have not spent a kobo to organise, influence, or secure the massive following and support we have been getting from the Obidient Movement to date.”
Earlier,q the apex socio-cultural organisation in Igbo land, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, commended the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, and the Middle-Belt Forum for adopting Obi.
Ohanaeze, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said, “We applaud the respected leaderships of Afenifere and Middle-Belt Forum for the adoption of Obi as the best among other presidential candidates based on age, fairness, competence, and track records of accomplishment in governance.
“We urge Governor Akeredolu of Ondo State and his South-East counterparts to remember that the Afenifere elders mean well for Nigeria and an Obi Presidency will favour the Yoruba people and Northern Nigeria.”
The group described Obi as a national movement.
The statement added, “The Labour Party candidate is not an Igbo presidency movement, but rather a Nigerian project anchored on capacity, competence, and character.
“This clarification has become necessary for posterity’s sake.
“Ohanaeze enjoins other ethnic groups like Afenifere, Middle-Belt Forum, and Pan Niger Delta Forum to insist that the rotational presidency between the North and South is a must for equity and fair play and that a Southern President should succeed the President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2023.”
