As the presidential ambition of the standard bearer of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi gathers momentum across the country, a leading cultural and socio-political association, Igboekulie, has thrown its weight behind his candidacy. The group in a statement signed by its president, Ben Onuora and secretary, Benjamin Obidegwu, said it endorsed the Obi and his running mate, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed, for the 2023 presidential election because they have the capacity and competence to pilot the affairs of Nigeria. Igboekulie added that an opportunity to have a man like Obi to provide the needed credible and strategic leadership comes once in a while in a nation’s history.

The statement read in part: “Igboekulie, a leading cultural, socio-political association in Nigeria proudly endorses Peter Obi and his equally decent running mate, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed to pilot the affairs of Nigeria in 2023 for the sake of progress and equity.

“Never in the political history of Nigeria has a candidate joined a moribund political party and within a few months, turned it into a national movement for the emancipation of Nigerians-both within and abroad from oppression, hunger, illiteracy, and hopelessness. “While his main opponents are busy accusing each other of corruption in and out of public service, Obi’s only fault is that he did not steal Anambra State funds, but saved N75 billion for the succeeding administration. Yet, he built roads, schools, hospitals, provided security, paid all state employees and contractors as well as left no debt for his successor.

Under him, Anambra State came first in WAEC examinations, Millennium Development Goals implementation and road infrastructure. “While Igboekulie urges Nigerians to vote for credible and competent leaders in the governorship, national and states Assembly elections across different political parties, we believe that an opportunity to have a man like Peter Obi of the Labour Party to provide needed credible and strategic leadership comes to a nation once in a while. Let us not miss this.”

Noting that Nigeria needs massive foreign and local investments to survive, the group said these investments will not come unless the next president is honest and transparent in the eyes of Nigerians and foreign investors. “Corruption cannot be reduced in Nigeria unless the next president and his vice have no corruption baggage, are demonstrably transparent and will lead by example. To banish poverty in Nigeria and infuse hope in the youths, we need a detribalized Nigerian to lead us.

“A new Nigeria is indeed possible with the lofty ideas espoused in the manifesto of the Labour Party and Peter Obi. This is our chance, let us enthusiastically take it,” Igboekulie said. On the the presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, the group said they are unfit to lead the country given the performance of their respective political parties. “Igboekulie believes that both PDP and APC have failed Nigerians. It would therefore be foolhardy to remain with the failed APC or allow ourselves to be tossed back to the PDP which has neither changed nor shown any remorse.

Therefore, we have to continue the search for a way out of this quagmire outside PDP and APC. “When preparations started for finding the right person for the presidency of Nigeria, it initially seemed Nigerians were doomed to a choice of either Tinubu of the APC or Abubakar of the PDP. That would have been calamitous. “Little wonder why Tinubu has been avoiding interviews and had to nominate other people to answer questions for him during his recent show of shame at Chatham House, London. “On the other hand, Atiku is a veteran presidential aspirant/ candidate.

Besides being a serial contestant, he moved mountains to pick the PDP ticket in violation of the zoning formula entrenched in the party’s constitution. “Out of the three front runners, going by all opinion polls so far, we are left with Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party. He is a man that ticks all the presidential boxes in Nigeria today. He is well educated, disciplined, frugal, and humble, exposed, understands the economy and abhors ostentatious lifestyle. He also has experience in governance,” the group said. (Saturday Telegraph)

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