A civil society group, Coalition of Civil Society Against Electoral Violence, has said the rising popularity of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, is causing his opponents sleepless nights.
The CSO said the development has pushed a certain presidential candidate into campaigns of calumny against the LP presidential flag-bearer, and his millions of “Obi-dients” scattered across the country.
The group said the claim by enemies of the New Nigeria movement, that Obi-dients are engaged in cyber bullying remained in the infantile imagination of the purveyors of the false claim.
In a statement signed Dr Hassan Ibrahim Shikafi (Executive Director), and Mrs Jumoke Olufemi. (Project Manager), the Coalition of Civil Society Against Electoral Violence arrived at the conclusion after a thorough investigation of the allegations against the Obi-dients.
Meanwhile, the coalition has raised an alarm of ongoing plans to discredit Obi, in a desperate bid to weaken his chances in the presidential elections next year.
The statement reads in part: “We have observed that the organic support the candidate of the LP and former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, is enjoying across the nation is giving some of his opponents sleepless nights.
“Consequently, they have resorted to blackmail and campaign of calumny against him, in a bid to demoralize and weaken his chances of winning the 2023 presidential poll.
“One of the tools deployed in that direction, is the wild and unsubstantiated allegations that Obi-dients are disrespectful, unruly and uncouth,” the group stated.
“While we must state clearly that we are not holding brief for him and his Obidient movement but we must however set the record straight; that a desperate presidential candidate and his cohorts have infiltrated into the Obident movement with a view of de-marketing Peter obi.
“We therefore call on all Nigerians to ignore the recent campaign of calumny against Peter Obi and the Obidient movement as it is the handwork of a desperate presidential candidate who has lost touch with the people and is doing everything possible to discredit Peter Obi.
“Nigerians are therefore advised to vote for the candidate of their choice based on competence, integrity and proven track records amongst others.”
