The Labour Party, LP, has reacted to the allegation by a civil society group, Concerned Citizens Network, accusing its Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, of working with the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, inorder to win the forthcoming presidential election.
Concerned Citizens Network had petitioned the European Union, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom, alleging that IPOB is supporting Obi for the forthcoming 2023 election.
Reacting to the allegation in an interview with Punch, Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council Spokesperson, Tanko Yunusa, described the allegation as a lie, noting that his principal has never associated himself with terrorist.
His words: “It is a total lie, the allegations are completely false. This is like saying Atiku Abubakar of the PDP is receiving tactic support from Boko Haram terrorists or Fulani herdsmen, or that the OPC and MC Oluomo’s group is giving tactic support for Bola Tinubu of the APC.
“The truth is that Peter Obi has never been associated with any terrorist organization, be it OPC, IPOB, or Boko Haram. He treats issues holistically as a nationalist and as someone who wants to come into power to treat issues accordingly.
“The records are there from what he did as Anambra governor for eight years. When the IPOB issue started in Anambra, Obi treated it as every other crime perpetrated in his state, and that was why throughout his tenure there was no single robbery in Anambra. That is a pointer.
“However, he has listening ears to listen to anyone who has any agitation against the country and against the state in order to find solution to it. That is how leaders behave, and that is what epitomizes Obi.
“But if a group of people believes in the candidature of Obi, that should not be termed as IPOB supporting him. That is a total lie, it’s a case of calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it.
“They’re only trying to disassociate us and demarket us amongst our people in the South-East. But we’re solid and determined to go all the way to win this election.”
Credit: Vanguard