The top Igbo socio-political organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, reacted to the reported merger between the Labor Party (LP) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP)
The Secretary-General of the Ohanaeze, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, warned the LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi, not to accept any arrangement that would make him the running mate of NNPP’s Rabiu Kwankwaso.
According to reports, NNPP and LP are in a discussion on the possibility of a merger ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
But Ohanaeze’s Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said Obi would lose his popularity if he agreed to become Kwankwaso’s second aide.
A statement made by Isiguzoro reads: “That the merger arrangements between the Labor Party and the New Nigeria People’s Party will strengthen Obi/Kwankwaso’s chances of winning the presidential election comes 2023.
The challenge for the Labor Party is to never settle for Obi’s vice presidency, any arrangement that sees Obi as a running mate for Kwankwaso’s will make the Labor Party unpopular.
“Mr. Peter Obi is the New Nigeria Candidate and Kwakwaso is the Regional Champion who then should be the running mate.