By Kamsi Anayo
With only 21-days left for the 2023 Presidential election, an Awka-based political scientist, Dr. Emmanuel Obiano, has appealed to the National Leadership of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), to adopt the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, as it candidate for the Feb. 25 general election.
The call for the adoption is coming three months after Gov. Chukwuma Soludo who is also the national leader of APGA, said Obi may win in the state, though, APGA has a Presidential Candidate, Prof. Peter Umeadi.
Obiano urged APGA leadership to support Obi, who is a son of the soil from Anambra state.
“That is what APGA did in 2015, when the party adopted as its Presidential candidate, former President Goodluck Jonathan who was then of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The appealed was contained in a statement he signed and made available to Journalists in Awka, on Saturday.
The statement read in part, “With only a few weeks to the commencement of the 2023 General Elections, this is a period for intense political discuss by all and sundry, whether politician or political observer. As the election dates draw nearer, the intensity of political discourses increase.
“Like other Nigerians, I have been engaged in political discourse at various levels. With confidence, I have marshaled out my points, giving in-depth analysis as a trained Political Scientist, Certified Strategist and practicing Consultant.
“With the privilege of having had real-life experience of Nigeria’s early post-independent period, hardly has any issue of Nigeria’s political-economy unnerved me, except one, at present.
“I am from Anambra state, South-East Nigeria. Some of my friends from other regions of Nigeria have asked me this question:
“In 2015, APGA which is synonymous with your state [Anambra] adopted as its Presidential Candidate, Goodluck Jonathan who was then of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“Why has APGA not similarly adopted as its Presidential Candidate in 2023 Mr Peter Obi of Labour Party who is a son of the soil of Anambra state as it did with Jonathan’s PDP in 2015? If that will be done, when will it be, considering that the Presidential Election is close at hand?
“This two-angled question is pregnant with meanings. As I contemplate on the possible ‘why’ and ‘when’, I am unnerved by the possible implications, especially the implication for equity and history.
“I flinch to imagine it be recorded in history against us that we adopted Jonathan from Bayelsa state but failed to adopt our blood and kin from the same Anambra state.
“It will amount to monumental betrayal, someone already called it ‘desecration’, if this is allowed to happen. The God of our land and our Ancestors are watching.
“I solemnly advise the leadership and household of APGA to set aside some past issues and trivialities and do the needful by immediately adopting Obi as its Presidential Candidate for the February 2023 Presidential Election as it did for Jonathan in 2015.
“The Southern and Middle Belt Forum has adopted Obi. Ohanaeze has adopted Obi. Many other progressive groups, even in the North and West have adopted Obi. We cannot be the proverbial “nkem di iche” (exception) in this matter.
“APGA and the Labour Party can cooperate and negotiate support and concessions in other Senatorial, Representative, House of Assembly, and Local Government positions.
,”We must learn to face the direction of Waziri Ibrahim’s “politics without bitterness” for a healthier and more rewarding progressive political development. An antelope that is pregnant is more gain for the hunter.
“Tomorrow is so long”. A new face of Ndi Igbo in Nigeria is possible, and is about to come. Let’s support it, not obstruct it or sabotage it, the statement concluded.
