Dave Umahi, the governor of Ebonyi State, said on Friday that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, would win a sizable portion of the South-East vote.
The former candidate for president, who identified himself as a devoted party supporter hoping that the All Progressive Congress wins the 2023 election, claimed that Obi’s political movement would serve as a reliable sign that an Igbo president will take office.
Read also: 2023: Igbos Will Vote Atiku not Peter Obi, says Emeka Ihedioha
The trend won’t, however, “transform into an absolute win.” Soon after paying a private visit to President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, Umahi made this information known to State House Correspondents.
In mid-October, he said, Buhari will be invited to Abuja to officially open the brand-new N1.2 billion Ebonyi State Governor’s Lodge.
In response to a query on his initial concerns after losing the APC presidential primary and his call for a president of Southeast Asian descent in 2023, Umahi referred to the Obi Movement as an eye-opener demonstrating that the South East will not be ignored in Nigeria’s politics.
The governor predicted that the APC would win the election next year despite the Labour Party being in a strong position to win the majority of votes in the Southeast.
When asked what key selling elements will make up the APC’s campaign theme in the southeast, he responded, “It’s going to be a whole new ball game. Since the interest of our people in the presidency is present when the campaign begins, you cannot wish it away. However, everyone running for office in the Southeast on their party’s ticket will have difficulties. You won’t advise the candidate for the House of Assembly to consider the broader picture of an Igbo presidency. Even though he might not realize it, Peter Obi will undoubtedly receive a sizable number of votes in the South East.
“However, APC’s organization and geographic reach are such that victory is guaranteed. And I can guarantee that some of the conflicts in some states will be settled. Mr. President, the party’s candidate, his vice, followed by the national chairman and party leadership, have established a mechanism to resolve our differences. And I believe we are well-equipped to triumph in 2023.
When asked whether the southeast was prepared to fill the position of president, Umahi responded: “What happened during the PDP and APC primaries were a kind of miscalculation by our people but to say whether they are ready for the presidency of the country at any time, I think that the movement of Peter Obi is an eye opener.
Read also: BREAKING NEWS: Imo Commissioner Bags Another Leadership Award
“I said I love what he’s doing because of it. He is inspiring me with what he is doing. Because the South East would have been forgotten if he weren’t doing what he’s doing.
So, even though my party wins, he would have set a great environment for the South East Presidency so that no one would write us off. You can also see his degree of acceptability, which is insufficient to defeat APC. That much is certain, but it’s still a positive move. And it gives the Southeast community and the rest of the nation confidence that we are welcomed and that we will someday lead this nation as president. It is really crucial.
But he asserted that there is no clear connection between the Obi movement and the decline in violent crime in the Southeast.
There has recently been a persistent myth that the likelihood of Peter Obi winning the presidency in 2023 is causing the horrific violence that is so common in the Southeast to decline.
“You cannot officially attribute the decline in killings to the Igbo president, as you can see, the security situation in the nation is getting better overall,” he remarked. Additionally, it has nothing to do with Peter Obi’s actions.
“The Peter Obi movement has its roots in equity, justice, and fairness. Because I have the party ticket and must support my party, it’s possible that it won’t result in an absolute victory.
“However, whether or not what he is doing has value there, it does not merely have meaning in the southeast. Therefore, he said, “we must never link the massacres in the Southeast to this kind of movement.
Every contender has a chance to win the polls, according to Umahi, who also wishes Peter Obi luck.
“As a party supporter, I would like to see our party triumph. And if God rejects my request, Peter Obi should be the next winner. There is no moral rationale for the north to be attempting to take another eight years; it should go to the south, I firmly believe, and I will state this anytime in this north-south presidency. I’m not wishing Peter Obi away because of this.
Everyone has an equal chance of winning and losing, but he insisted that you should always have a wish.
