By Joshua Chibuzo Andrew, Owerri
The Labour Party have accused the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) of plotting for the arrest of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his running mate, Baba Datti.
At a Press conference held on Sunday, in Owerri, Imo State, national Youth leader of LP, Kennedy Ahanotu, said that the plot to arrest Obi and Datti will not work.
Ahanotu, disclosed that the LP had total confidence in the judiciary, adding that Obi would” regain” his mandate in court.
According to him; ” This press briefing is necessitated by the recent turn of events in our country since after the wrongful declaration of the February 25th Presidential Election result; where clearly the INEC chairman’s rascality and undemocratic behaviour of not reviewing collated results has continued to generate local and international reactions.
“Today, those who were wrongfully declared are not even celebrating but are surprisingly calling for the arrest of those whose mandate were stolen and have obeyed the instruction to ‘go to court’. We are in court already.
“It is important we go to the archives to ascertain that during the campaigns, it was only the APC presidential candidate and spokespersons that was caught on videos promoting violence especially Bola Tinubu who openly asked his supporters to fight, snatch, grab and run with our collective mandate; and that was exactly what APC supporters did in Lagos state, Rivers state and many other states across the country.
“My president in waiting was always sounding modest, issue based and never encouraged violence by the way he conducted himself. Hence, Nigerians of goodwill voted massively for him. Mr Peter Obi and Dr Datti Baba Ahmed were the only candidates who concentrated campaigns on issues of national unity, best interest, development, and economic prosperity.
“The open attack on Igbos in Lagos, where Tinubu is said to hail from is a clear proof to the threats and commands by notable APC supporters in Lagos, which the police never took serious when they termed Dayo Israel and MC Oluomo’s threats as a joke. It is on record that no Housa or Yoruba person were attacked in Anambra, where Mr Peter Obi hails from. In fact, a Yoruba man won a State Assembly Election in Abia State on the LP platform showing that the Igbo are the true reflection of Nigeria’s unity. Igbo invest virtually in every state of this country. The hate should stop and we must accept that we are all Nigerians.
“Since after the election, the opposition, especially APC, expected violent resistance, but we beat them to it and conducted ourselves in a most civil manner. I recall with keen interest what happened in 2011 general election that Buhari lost, and even June 12.
“It’s surprising to see the APC stage managing all manner of baseless propaganda to misrepresent our collective sense of equity and justice.
“By this press briefing, we, the Nigerian youths, demand that; the various call for the arrest of Mr Peter Obi and Datti Baba Ahmed should stop forthwith as we the OBIdient Nigerian Youths have cast our fibal hopes on the Judiciary; and we shall be in the courts to observe every process for future reference.
“The attacks, intimidation, and molestation of the Igbos in Lagos should please be stopped because such is an invitation to national instability. Nigerians must live as free citizens wherever they are in any part of this country.
“The Nigerian security agencies should please employ high level of professional conduct in executing their jobs and desist from being a ready tool in the hands of power drunk politicians who have kept us below the bars of international standards.
“Having stated the above as a matter of solidarity, we therefore pass vote of towering confidence on our National Chairman, Barr Julius Abure. We urge Nigerians to ignore any kind of selfish call for his suspension from disgruntled individuals. All the obidient family members are fully with our celebrity National Chairman, who pioneered the journey of taking back our country.
“We the Obidient Youths also pass vote of confidence on Nigeria Judiciary. We refuse to accept the insinuation that the state Judiciary has been cowed and pocketed by powers that be to subvert justice and popular wishes Nigerians.
“All hopes are not lost. We are on course. We shall take back our country and set it up for peace and unity. progress and prosperity.”
