Supporters of the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, popularly known as Obidients, have replied to the statement by oil mogul, Arthur Eze, condemning Obi’s ambition of contesting for the office of the president in 2023.
Eze, Monday, said he warned Obi not to run for the highest political office in the country, noting he had told him he would not win, hence he would not support him.
The Anambra-born billionaire said this during the 2022 Ofala festival of His Royal Highness Igwe Robert Eze, the traditional ruler of Ukpo in Dunukofia local government area of the state.
“I warned Peter Obi to withdraw from this race but he would not listen. I told him plainly that I’m not part of his plans. I told him to drop his ambition…I told him he cannot win; so that he would not waste his time and money,” Eze said.
Reacting to Eze’s statement, Obidients said Obi is not running for the South-East region dominated by Igbo people, but rather contesting to be the president of Nigerian people to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
They said Obi, a Nigerian project does not need the support of Igbo politicians alone to become president but that of the Nigerian electorate who are his political structure.
Leading the conversation on the microblogging site, Cardinal Francis Arinze said Eze’s position was a strong indication that next year’s election is a battle between the poor masses and the rich politicians.
Francis Cardinal Arinze @C_FrancisArinze tweeted, “Mr Arthur Eze’s comment on Peter Obi is a clear sign that 2023 election will be a tussle between the poor and the rich, the youth and elders.
“If our Nigerian youths fail to take back their country in 2023, they will experience the worst suppression ever.”
