I’m Contesting as Nigerian, Not South-East Candidate,  Peter Obi Says

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has said though he is Igbo, he is contesting as a Nigerian, not a South-east candidate.
He said South-east politicians were behind him, adding that some only had different political viewpoints.
According to him, there would be danger if everybody in the region supported his presidential ambition.
The LP presidential candidate spoke in Enugu shortly after signing condolence register for late President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor, at the National Secretariat of Ohanaeze.

He noted that those who brought Nigeria to the current economic and socio-political problems were the ones that were not supporting him.
“What is happening is that some people have different opinion. Everybody should not support me and everybody will not support me.
“In fact, if everybody supports me there is danger. Some will disagree.
“Don’t forget that I am trying to change a system where people who brought us here are living off.
“You think those who left us in this confusion will support me? No. Some people are living off Nigeria as it is today.
“Some people have a structure that have brought us to this juncture where we produce 133 million people that are poor, where our primary health care have collapsed, where we have 20 million out of school children, where we have almost 40 per cent unemployment, with 60 per cent youth unemployment, where we have highest youth job prevent in the world.

“So they will not support me but I urge all of us to remember that we need to build a new Nigeria.
“Nobody is against me what people have is different opinion which is allowed in a democratic dispensation,” he said.
Paying a glowing tributes, the former Anambra State governor who was the first to sign Obiozor’s condolence register at the Secretariat, said his demise had created a sense of loss to every Igbo man owing to his contributions to the progress of the Igbo nation.
He said: “I feel very sad that he died this very trying time for our nation.
“If you know Prof Obiozor and his contributions over the years to our country Nigeria and to the Southeast, you will know that every Igbo person feel a sense of loss but we cannot question God.

“So, that is why this morning I decided to personally come to this Secretariat which is a Secretariat of what holds Igbos together, to sign this condolence.
“For me I feel sad but we cannot question God.
“All I can say is may God Almighty that called him, grant his soul eternal rest in his kingdom, and continue to grant all of us especially his family the fortitude to bear his irreplaceable loss, continue to bless Igboland and continue to bless Nigeria.”
On whether his demise will in anyway jeopardise his chances of becoming the Nigerian president of Igbo extraction, Obi said no, adding: “As far as I am concerned not at all.”

He maintained that though he is an Igbo man by tribe, he does not want to be an Igbo president.
“I have said it, I am proud of my Nigerianess as I am proud of my Igboness.
“It’s true I hold both of them but I am contesting as a Nigerian and I believe that in this exercise as it is today I am committed that a new Nigeria is possible.
“I have all it takes in terms of character, competence and everything to start building that new Nigeria.”

Arinze Gideon in Enugu

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