ENUGU, Nigeria – Chimaroke Nnamani, a former governor of Enugu State, has called on Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi to withdraw his petition against president-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the February 25 presidential election winner. Peter Obi, along with Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and several other candidates, is challenging the election results at the tribunal.
Senator Nnamani, a sitting senator who recently lost his reelection bid to the candidate of the Labour Party, released a statement on Sunday, April 23, 2023, urging Obi to withdraw his petition, describing it as “dead on arrival”
Nnamani accused Mr Obi of trying to embarrass Tinubu with non-electoral issues.
Nnamani urged Obi to “come down from his high horse” and allow for negotiations on behalf of the Igbo and South East regions, stressing the importance of their participation in making a new Nigeria.
Nnamani said, “His petition is dead on arrival. He does not have the spread or national appeal. His appeal to non-electoral matters is to demarket the president-elect and besmirch his reputation.
“He does not have near spread and national appeal. His petition is ego-driven, joke carried too far. His attempt to highlight non-electoral issues is trying to embarrass the president-elect.
“Obi needs to come down from his high horse to allow sedate minds to negotiate on behalf of the Igbo and South East for safe landing to include our stake in the national palaver and share of the accruals of the commonwealth.
“We must join the mainstream and participate in the making of a new Nigeria. We are not going anywhere. We ‘dey kampe’ and are ready to bargain for our own share. It is common knowledge that others are doing the same.
“Igbo have to confront reality now or be consigned to the backwoods of history. Time to align is now.”
Obi, a former two-term Anambra State governor, emerged as a third-force candidate, surprising the nation. Despite being dismissed as lacking a political structure, Obi garnered over six million votes and won in 11 states, finishing third in the recently concluded election.
This unprecedented showing is a testament to the strength and influence of the movement, which has managed to shake up the political landscape in Nigeria.
Utilising social media to their advantage, the “Obidients” have effectively harnessed the power of technology to project their program and vision for the nation.
This has enabled them to seize the initiative from established politicians and engage young voters, who have proven instrumental in driving the movement’s success.
The Obidient movement has served as a wake-up call for Nigeria’s traditional political parties, highlighting the importance of addressing the concerns and aspirations of the younger generation.
