Unic Press UK: A plot by a small number of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) South East leaders allegedly aimed at scuttling the choice of Peter Obi as the Vice-Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) may have failed flat following stiff resistance by Nigerians from all walks of life.
It was on Saturday that a small number of the PDP apparatchiks converged in and held a meeting at the Enugu residence of the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremmadu (PDP – Enugu West), apparently expressing shock over the party’s Presidential Candidate Atiku Abubakar choice of a former governor of Anambra State Peter Gregory Obi as his Vice-Presidential Candidate, saying that Atiku never held any consultations with the PDP South East leaders.
In attendance at the parley were Ebonyi State Governor David Nweze Umahi, Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Sam Ominyi Egwu, (PDP – Ebonyi North), Oseloka H. Obaze, Senator Theodore Orji (PDP – Abia Central), a PDP chieftain Chris Ubah, and several others.
Following the meeting at Ekeremadu home, many Nigerians have stood up to defend Peter Obi, and have reacted angrily, questioning why any altruistic person of the South East and beyond would be opposing the inalienable rights of a Presidential Candidate to choose his running mate.
In his address at the meeting, the PDP Candidate in the 2017 Anambra State Gubernatorial Elections, Oseloka H. Obaze, said:
“In 1979, Shehu Shagari did not consult south-east NPN before choosing Alex Ekwueme as his running mate. In 1999, Olusegun Obasanjo did not consult the Northeast PDP leaders before he selected Atiku Abubakar. In 2007, Umaru YarAdua did not consult the south-south PDP leadership before picking Goodluck Jonathan. How do we explain our malign attitude and that outsiders have accepted one of our sons, but we are the ones that seek to tag him “an outcast” and therefore unacceptable to the nation?”
REACTIONS ON TWITTER
Ike Ekweremmadu, I want to address you now. My sources tell me that you are the ring leader in the plot to stop Peter Obi. I am also aware that the reason for this is because you coveted the position for yourself. Nwoke m, kpachara anya gi o! After 16 years as a Senator,
— Dr Chima .M. Amadi (@AMADICHIMA) October 13, 2018
1. I’m astounded by the marginal dissension within the ranks of Igbo political leaders over the selection of Peter Obi. I ask Ndiigbo, how do we explain this malign attitude, when the rest of Nigeria have accepted our sons, but we seek to tag him an unacceptable outcast.
— Oseloka H. Obaze (@OselokaHObaze) October 13, 2018
Governors David Umahi, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu, Senators Ike Ekweremadu, Sam Egwu, Theodore Orji, Mr. Chris Ubah & the rest – big shame on you all for opposing Peter Obi as Atiku's running mate.
You're enemies of progress!
Leaders of Ndi Igbo my foot!😡😡😡#ANigeria4All pic.twitter.com/2UgQ3WRTtB— Eunice Atuejide (@eunice_atuejide) October 14, 2018
Dr. @Peter__Obi will be VP to Alh. @atiku. What the Ebonyi Governor has done is to create unnecessary bad blood.
Who made Umahi the mouthpiece of the Igbo?
— Henry Shield (@henryshield) October 13, 2018
