The Igbo Elders Consultative Forum (IECF) also referred to as the Ime-obi Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on Friday, labelled the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, a “true unifier”, that Nigeria seriously needs.
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| Peter Obi. Presidential flagbearer of the Labour Party (LP) for the 2023 presidential election |
The IECF also said, Peter Obi, the “true unifier”, will ensure the banishment of “poverty, insecurity and all the negatives associated with Nigeria”.
Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chairman of the Forum and erstwhile Anambra State Governor, while speaking with newsmen in Abuja, said, Peter Obi’s 2023 presidency is “is the person whom all of us will support.”
Ezeife said, “We, before now agreed in the Southern and Middle Belt Forum to call all the candidates from the south east, interview them and adopt one person. But that has been overtaken by events. If you look at the candidates from A to Z, you find out that there is one from the south east who is everybody’s candidate.
“He is the true unifier in Nigeria because he is someone who will banish poverty, insecurity, and all the negatives associated with Nigeria. That person is Peter Obi and he is the person whom all of us will support.”
Ezeife did not hesitate to reveal that the South East elders were the ones who converged to “force” Peter Obi “out of the PDP so that he can be a candidate for president”.
He said, “If you look at the records, you’ll find out that the elders in Abuja really worked hard to get him out as a candidate. We forced him to get out of the PDP so that he can be a candidate for president. So the question of even adopting him doesn’t arise as he is our trusted, God anointed candidate to remake and recreate Nigeria. He will make everybody happy.
“Obi will make Fulani belong to Nigeria and have a say. He will ensure Yoruba don’t want to go and will also make Igbo and all groups stay in Nigeria and have the country restructured to work.”
The IECF Chairman pleaded with all Political candidates alongside their supporters “to observe the rule of the game” in the course of their campaigns as well as during elections.
“Hence, we appeal to all candidates, other political gladiators and their supporters to observe the rule of the game in their electioneering campaigns,” he said.
Ezeife continued, “The Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, should rise up to the challenge of providing level playing ground for all political parties and candidates as contained in the 2022 Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“INEC should resist the alleged pressure by inordinate and unscrupulous politicians to compromise the provisions of the extant electoral laws and conduct free, fair and credible elections in 2023 for the stability and corporate existence of Nigeria.”
On IPOB Leader, Kanu, the IECF expressed disappointment over the Federal Government’s decision to appeal against the Court of Appeal’s judgement which acquitted the British-Nigerian political activist.
“The Federal Government appeal against the Court of Appeal three-man unanimous judgement, which discharged Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is capable of aggravating the security challenges and peace process initiatives in the South East, preventing the conduct of 2023 general elections in the zone, as well as its ripple effects on the peace, unity, stability and continued corporate existence of Nigeria,” the IECF said.
