Pro-Peter Obi’s groups, Peter Obi Grassroots Movement (POGM) and Obidients Across Parties Alliance (OAPA) Abia State chapter has called on the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi for endorsing the LP governorship candidate in Abia, Dr. Alex Otti.
The groups in a statement signed by Chief Chetachi Ikpe, POGM Coordinator and Chief Ndubueze Obiakwata for OAPA, urged Obi to honour the alleged agreement he had with the Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu not to endorse Otti, an agreement which according to the group that gave him Abia votes untouched during the Presidential election.
The groups however, said from the information they have got, Peter Obi will be visiting Abia State tomorrow to canvass for votes for Alex Otti against Ikpeazu’s candidate in Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Abia.
“While assuring our principal and the man Nigerians overwhelmingly elected on February 25th, 2023 to be their president, Mr Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) of our determination to march with him, all the way as he strives to recover his stolen mandate, we urge him to keep the agreement he had with his brother, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, the Abia State Governor.
“We are aware that prior to last Saturday’s presidential election, Obi and Ikpeazu had an agreement that he (Ikpeazu) would support the LP candidate in the presidential poll, in any way he can while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” the group said in a statement obtained by AbaCityBlog.
According to the group, “It was based on the above that the Abia State Government gave all necessary logistics support to Obi during his campaign visit to the state and also ensured that we, Abia State Obidients operated in a conducive atmosphere without hindrance unlike some other Igbo Governors, notably Anambra, Imo and Ebonyi.
“Most importantly, Ikpeazu, had the opportunity of “writing Abia State results”like Wike did but chose to forego that, so as not to tamper with Obi’s votes. Unfortunately, he ended up sacrificing his senatorial bid in the process.
“It is therefore only fair and just that our principal should be his usual honorable self by keeping to the terms of the agreement which is that he should not come back again to Abia to openly campaign for Dr Alex Otti, to avoid antagonizing the Governor, who has kept his own side of the agreement and who still has so much to contribute in ensuring that Obi reclaims his stolen mandate.
The group however, called on Peter Obi to shelve his plan to visit Aba to canvass for votes for Alex Otti ahead of the Saturday Governorship election.
“We wish to urge our principal, the Labour Party, LP candidate in last Saturday’s presidential election, Mr Peter Obi to immediately shelve his intention of coming to Abia State tomorrow to campaign again for Dr Alex Otti, the LP Governorship candidate.
“Firstly, on February 25th, 2023, Ndi Abia voted massively for him across party lines, in line with our campaign slogan of “Obidience Across Parties Alliance”. Certainly, he wouldn’t have gotten the quantum of votes he got in Abia, if every party, especially the PDP, as the ruling party in the state voted its own candidate.
“However, in the spirit of the agreement he had with Governor Ikpeazu, the Abia State Government decided not to work against Obi’s election, by using the full weight of state machinery at his disposal to thwart his election by tampering with his results as was done in some other states.
“We urge Obi to focus on reclaiming his stolen mandate and resist the temptation of getting involved in Abia State Governorship politics. Since virtually all Abians including the Governorship candidates of all political parties, except the All Progressives Congress, APC supported him, his coming again to re-endorse Otti will be counterproductive and capable of causing public disaffection.
“Abians see that as an unwelcome interference, let Ndi Abia be allowed to vote for any Governorship candidate of their choice based on competence, not party loyalty just as they voted for Obi without consideringy party loyalty.
