The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has slammed the Women Wing for endorsing the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar ahead of the elections on February 25.

Amid the women wing’s position, Ohanaeze said its support and endorsement for the Labour Party’s presidential flag bearer, Peter Obi, stands untouchable.

This was made known in a statement by Ohanaeze’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, titled, ‘Ohanaeze Position on Peter Obi is Sacrosanct’ on Wednesday.

It said, “The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to a recent publication by the Ohanaeze Women Wing purportedly endorsing the candidature of H E Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as Igbo candidate in the forthcoming Presidential election on Saturday, February 25, 2023.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, presided over by the Secretary-General, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, MFR sat at the National Secretariat, No 7 Park Avenue, GRA, Enugu on Friday, February 17, 2023, and reaffirmed its irrevocable support for Mr. Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party as sacrosanct.”

The group said Its support for Obi is in consonance with the right-thinking people of Nigeria and the rest of the world who have found him most preferred among the top candidates.

“Their stand is in resonance with the right-thinking patriotic Nigerians and indeed the global community that Peter Obi stands out as the ‘most suitable, competent, visionary, inspiring and energetic presidential candidate for the forthcoming general election.’

“And that in Obi is not only an exceptional convergence of history, equity and public consciousness, he is also a moral edifice, purveyor of excellence, a quintessential public administrator and the embodiment of the new Nigeria that we all crave for,” Ohanaeze affirmed.

“Emuchay expressed deep shock that while the Afenifere, Pan-Niger-Delta Forum (PANDEF) Middle Belt, the Muslim Clerics and indeed all those who want to salvage Nigeria from the current cesspit, have united in the Obi/Datti movement, the Ohanaeze Women Wing would embark on a mission that is completely at variance with the interest and position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo vehemently dissociates itself from such an unwarranted unconscionable and subversive endorsement of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). In addition, we reiterate that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide would not condone acts of insubordination and sabotage from any of its officers and affiliates.

“We wish to use this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to the Youths, the courageous elder statesmen, the market women, the Clergy, clerics, artisans, Nigerian students all over the country, the international community and indeed all the oppressed and deprived masses in Nigeria for their invaluable supports to Mr Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed. As Obi has often stated, this election is yours, and that, he is only a vessel to achieve a better Nigeria.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo urges Nigerians to ignore all forms of distractions and troop out en-mass on Saturday February 25, 2023 to discharge your civic duties in favour of Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed,” the group added. (Vanguard)

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