Tony Okafor,Awka
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has endorsed the 2023 presidential bid of the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, stating that adoption of a Muslim-Muslim ticket by the All Progressives Grand Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Bola Tinubu, has widened the gap of mistrust amongst the Nigerian people.
The Vice President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Damian Okeke -Ogene stated this on Thursday at a press conference in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
He however said the APC arrangement had made the 2023 presidential race easier for other political parties who respected the sensibilities of Nigerians by reflecting equity, fairness and good conscience in their choices of candidates in the general elections.
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He assured that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo would give the presidential candidate of the Labour Party ( LP), Peter Obi, the necessary support and encouragement to actualise his aspiration and change the narrative in the country.
He said, ” We appeal to the new Nigeria movement in support of Obi and the Labour Party LP to disregard and ignore self-centered individuals, especially those from the South-East, who are speaking from both sides of their mouths.
“The Nigerian youth are out and determined to take ownership of the country from the old order. Votes must count in 2023 elections and no longer business as usual, which will birth a new Nigeria, adding, “the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, represents the face of a new Nigeria without any any ethnic coloration.
The Igbo leader noted that Obi’s emergence had engendered what he called a tsunami-like movement across the country, made up of Nigerians from all ethnic groups, adding, ” Any attempt by one religion to dominate the political structure will only widen the gap of mistrust and destroy the delicate sense of tolerance cultivated over the years.”
The Ohanaeze position came barely 48 hours after an elder statesman and leader of Afenifere, Ayo Adebanjo, had backed 2023 presidential aspiration of Peter Obi.
The elder statesman explained that the decision to back the Labour Party was in line with his belief that the South-East should produce the nation’s next president.
According to him, the decision to endorse the Labour Party was also the position of Afenifere as a group.
The Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation is one of the groups that make up the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF).
Other groups in the forum are the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, and the Middle Belt Forum.