‘Obi not destined to lead Nigeria in 2023’, Ohanaeze

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide, believes that the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi did not win the 2023 presidential poll as he was not destined to lead Nigeria in 2023.

The Group’s Director-General (Implementation and Strategic Planning), Ambassador Tony Chiemelu Obizoba, in its congratulatory message to President-Elect, Bola Tinubu expressed profound confidence in Tinubu to continue the legacies of President Buhari.

He said, “Tinubu is capable, and we have no doubt in his capacity to ensure the continuity of the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari, which are apparent, indisputably correct and will continue to stand as good legacies for generations of leaders to come.

“This Igbo umbrella body will continue to remember Obi, former governor of Anambra State, as one who, despite all odds, laboured hard to actualise a Nigerian president from the Igboland. However, God has not destined it to happen in 2023. It may happen later. God spares the life of everybody.

“It is more to show that the Igbo do not really hate themselves as some Nigerians tend to say. In all, general performances of the candidates across parties have given this group the confidence to agree that the emergence of one of them, who is Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is well deserved and we say congratulations,”

Group resolute to retrieve Obi’s mandate – Dr Ogbonnia

In a related development, the National Publicity Secretary of the Organization, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, stressed that Ohanaeze is prepared to go the full length with Peter Obi in his quest to retrieve the mandate freely given to him by Nigerians at the polls, Leadership reports.

According to him, Nigerians from across the country believed in the LP candidate’s message and mantra that a new Nigeria is possible, hence, their overwhelming support for the Obi-Datti ticket.

He applauded citizens for coming out to vote massively for the Labour Party candidate despite the intimidation and harassment.

“I’m happy Nigeria is moving away from political apathy to a participant political culture. It is a plus because in the third world, Political participation has been a problem and you could see that they participated actively. They couldn’t be suppressed or intimidated. They rather defied all the threats from all the external forces and came even under sunshine and rain. They stood strongly and expressed their wish through their votes. We were impressed because in the past, they did not have confidence in the electoral system and to that extent, there is this political apathy. But they came out fully and voted,” he stated. 

Ogbonnia further opined that history will be repeated in the case of Obi.

According to him: “I have confidence in that because when he was deprived of his victory sometime in Anambra State, he struggled and assured people that he would recover it. Later on, he recovered that mandate. The same way, it is like history repeating itself.

“Anybody who has known Peter Obi will know that he is always sure of whatever he is doing. He is conscious of whatever position or decision he is taking. He is not a man of frivolities or a man who takes decisions anyhow. He takes a thorough review of his decisions before making it public.”