With only 21-days left for the 2023 Presidential election, an Awka-based Political Scientist, Dr Emmanuel Obiano, has appealed to the National Leadership of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), to adopt the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, as it candidate for the February 25th election.

It was gathered that the call for the adoption is coming three months after Governor Soludo who is also the national leader of APGA, in a broadcast said he is not supporting Mr. Obi, because he will not win and that the election is for only two contestants, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People Democratic Party (PDP), even thou, APGA has a Presidential Candidate, Prof. Peter Umeadi, also in the contest.

He urged APGA leadership to do the same to Peter Obi, who is a son of the soil of Anambra State, what it did in 2015 when the party adopted as its Presidential Candidate an Ijaw man from Bayelsa State [Goodluck Jonathan] who was then the bona fide candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The appeal was contained in a statement he signed and made available to Journalists in Awka, on Saturday.

The statement read in part, “With only a few weeks to the commencement of the 2023 General Elections, this is a period for intense political discussion by all and sundry, whether politician or political observer. As the election dates draw nearer, the intensity of political discussions increases.

“Like other Nigerians, I have been engaged in political discussions at various levels. With confidence, I have marshaled out my points, giving in-depth analysis as a trained Political Scientist, Certified Strategist and practicing Consultant. With the privilege of having had a real-life experience of Nigeria’s early post-independent period, hardly has any issue of Nigeria’s political economy unnerved me, except one, at present.”

The statement further added; “I am from Anambra, South-East Nigeria. Some of my friends from other regions of Nigeria have asked me this question:

“In 2015, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) which is synonymous with your State [Anambra] adopted as its Presidential Candidate an Ijaw man from Bayelsa State [Goodluck Jonathan] who was then the bona fide candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Why has APGA not similarly adopted as its Presidential Candidate in 2023 Mr Peter Obi of Labour Party who is a son of the soil of Anambra State as it did with Jonathan’s PDP in 2015? If that will be done, when will it be, considering that the Presidential Election is close at hand?

“This two-angled question is pregnant with meanings. As I contemplate on the possible ‘why’ and ‘when’, I am unnerved by the possible implications, especially the implication for equity and history. I flinch to imagine it be recorded in history against us that we adopted an Ijaw man from Bayelsa State but failed to adopt our blood and kin from the same Anambra State. It will amount to monumental betrayal, someone already called it ‘desecration’, if this is allowed to happen. The God of our land and our Ancestors are watching.

“I solemnly advise the leadership and household of APGA to set aside some past issues and trivialities and do the needful by immediately adopting Mr Peter Obi as its Presidential Candidate for the February 2023 Presidential Election as it did for Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. The Southern and Middle Belt Forum has adopted Peter Obi. OHANEZE has adopted Peter Obi. Many other progressive groups, even in the North and West have adopted Peter Obi. We cannot be the proverbial “nkem di iche” (exception) in this matter.

“APGA and the Labour Party can cooperate and negotiate support and concessions in other Senatorial, Representative, House of Assembly, and Local Government positions.

“We must learn to face the direction of Waziri Ibrahim’s “politics without bitterness” for a healthier and more rewarding progressive political development. An antelope that is pregnant is more gain for the hunter.

“Tomorrow is so long”. A new face of Ndi Igbo in Nigeria is possible and is about to come. Let’s support it, not obstruct it or sabotage it,” the statement concluded. (Nigerian Tribune)

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