The National Vice Chairman, South-East, of the Labour Party (LP), Innocent Okeke, has slammed Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra and billionaire businessman, Arthur Eze, for downplaying Peter Obi’s chances at this year’s presidential election.
Bellnewsonline.com reports that Soludo and Eze had used different medium to state that Obi was wasting his time, stressing the the LP candidate will not win the February 25th presidential election.
Reacting in a statement to newsmen, Okeke described Obi’s presidential ambition as an idea whose time has come, adding that it would no longer be business as usual for the elite few.
He urged Soludo and Eze to put their personal interests aside and have a rethink about their decision not to support Peter Obi.
According to the APC leader, he understands that Eze is trying to protect his business interests but now is the time for him to feel the suffering of the masses.
Okeke said: “Obi is a phenomenal, an idea being directed by divine phenomenon and propelled by people’s organic reaction and movement.
“Go tell it to who cares to hear. It is no longer going to be the dictator’s world or a narrow exclusive circle or group dictating who becomes president in Nigeria.
“Eze, Soludo and whoever wants to play God against this divine mandate should have a rethink.
“We want to respect the personal opinion of any individual, including that of Eze (the Ozigbo Ndu) and any other person with different opinions. But what we can not accept is unfriendly outbursts and intimidations.
“The message to whoever cares to listen is that the next new Nigeria is never going to be business as usual. The moment people begin to adapt, the better. It has been a country between the far rich few and the extreme masses. They destroyed the middle class and made the masses ordinary slaves.
“If our highly respected Eze should go by his adopted name ‘Ozigbo Ndu’, I would have expected him to feel pain when his people are feeling it. The pain in the present Nigeria is a general one and everyone is crying for a genuine change.
“We can understand his personal business interests and effort to remain big, but he has been big from youth till this age, is time to feel the pain of others and sacrifice luxury for a better future.
“Obi is an Anambrarian just like some of you, what is the general opinion of the people of Anambra on Obi’s presidential ambition and not the opinion of two or three persons.
“In this recent time, all the presidential opinion polls conducted have put Obi well above other contenders and this is Nigerians’ opinion.
“If not, the old thinking of many of you with deep pockets who has amassed wealth to seek option of rigging elections, the voice and opinions of the masses will reign supreme.
“I will advise, no insult, keep your opinion to yourself, don’t destabilise the system. Allow a new Nigeria to emerge; it will benefit your kindred, community, your state and all Nigerians.”