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2023: Again, Polls Predict A Win For Obi

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, has been predicted to win the 2023 presidential election by NOI Polls Limited.

The poll commissioned by Anap Foundation said the LP presidential hopeful is ahead of three other presidential candidates, namely Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Bola Tinubu of APC and Musa Rabiu Kwakwanso of the ANPP.

The presidential race has been predicted to be a three-horse race for Obi, Tinubu and Atiku.

But the president of Anap Foundation, Atedo Peterside said on Channels Television on Wednesday that the poll conducted this month has shattered the earlier projection, as Obi is now leading the three other presidential candidates.

Peterside spoke two months after Fitch, a global rating agency predicted that Obi will lose the election.

Giving a breakdown of the polls result Peterside, a former Chairman of Stambic IBTC said Obi scored 23 percent, Tinubu scored 13, Atiku got 10 and Kwankwaso polled 2 percent in the fresh poll released in December.

He said, “Nobody has gained or lost more than 2, 3 percent. I don’t know whether that is good news or bad news but it is as if nothing has happened fundamentally, no significant shift.”

He explained that mobile phones were the instruments used to conduct the poll because of increased mobile phone penetration in the country, adding that a large percentage of people are undecided.

He said the interest level in the next general elections is driven by economic challenges plaguing the nation, poverty, and insecurity, amongst others, noting that the appetite of the youths in this election is high and carpeted candidates who have dodged presidential debates.

 An abridge version of the statement:

Peter Obi consolidates lead in a Fragmented Presidential Race

21 December 2022

Ahead of the forthcoming 2023 Presidential elections, a recent nationwide opinion poll commissioned by Anap Foundation and conducted by NOI Polls Limited was concluded in early December 2022. The Poll revealed a significant lead by Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) both trailing him. Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) emerged as the lone outsider.

The results showed a significant lead for Mr. Peter Obi with 23% of voters proposing to vote for him if the presidential election were to be conducted today; and 13% proposing to vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who fell in second place. Alhaji Abubakar Atiku was third with 10% and Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso was a distant fourth with 2% of voters proposing to vote for him.

Mr. Peter Obi’s 10%-point lead at this stage is significant, but not sufficient to separate him from a leading pack of candidates scoring 13%, 10% and 2%.

Undecided voters and those who prefer not to reveal their preferred candidate add up to a whopping 29% and 23% respectively. The gender split of undecided voters shows that 38% of women are undecided versus 21% of male voters.

Poll Question: Suppose the presidential election is being conducted today, who are you likely to vote for?

Poll Question: Suppose the presidential election is being conducted today, who are you likely to vote for?

The percentage of registered voters and/or voters with their permanent voter’s card is as follows in each of the zones – 90% in the North East, 89% in the South West, and 88% in the South South. The lowest voter registration percentages were recorded in the North Central with 87%, North West with 86%, and the South East with 84%.

Fitch had two months ago predicted a win for Tinubu, the candidate of APC

“Indeed, we maintain our view that the ruling party’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the candidate most likely to win the presidential election as a split opposition vote will favour the All Progressives Congress.

“Protests and social discontent are likely to ramp up in the aftermath of a Tinubu win since this would end the recent trend of the presidency alternating between Muslims and Christians,” the agency said.

Gov Oyebanji Receives Presidential Accolades On 55th Birthday

By
Ayodele Oni
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Biodun Oyebanji

By Ayodele Oni

President Mohammadu Buhari has congratulated Ekiti state Governor, Biodun Oyebanji on his 55th birthday, saying he is fortunate to have delved into public service at a tender age.

A statement on Wednesday by Femi Adesina, special adviser Media states that “President Muhammadu Buhari joins leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in celebrating with the Governor of Ekiti State, Abiodun Oyebanji, on his 55th birthday.

“The President rejoices with the Governor, his family, friends, and cabinet on the milestone while congratulating him on many achievements, delving into public service at a young age, and taking up many sensitive positions, including Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Government of Ekiti State.

“President Buhari notes Oyebanji’s passion to serve his people, which translated into winning the gubernatorial elections in June 2022 and swearing-in into office in October 2022, bringing a wealth of knowledge, network, and experience, after working in various capacities.

“As the Governor turns 55, the President trusts that Oyebanji will explore opportunities in building on the success of his predecessor in office, especially in education, in which the state earned a reputation for generational investments.

“President Buhari prays that the Almighty God will bless and keep Governor Oyebanji, and grant him wisdom to actualize his vision.”

CBN Changes Withdrawal Limit For Individual, Corporate Bodies

By
Ayodele Oni
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Godwin-Emefiele-CBN-Governor

By Ayodele Oni

Bowing to public outcry and pressure from the national assembly, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has conceded to some concessions in the recently announced monetary policies.

After it changed the colour of some of the Nigerian currency the apex bank announced a withdrawal limits for individuals and corporate bodies

However, in a letter on Wednesday, to banks, CBN said it has increased the maximum weekly limit for cash withdrawals across all channels by individuals and corporate organisations to N500,000 and N5 million, respectively.

The CBN said this in a letter addressed to banks on Wednesday.

The apex bank explained that it made the decision based on feedback received from stakeholders.

2023: Again, INEC Office In Imo Attacked By Hoodlums

By
Akinwale Kasali
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INEC Headquarters in Imo State

By Akinwale Kasali

For the fourth time in less than three weeks, the Independent National Electoral Commission’s  office in Imo State has been attacked  by hoodlums.

The Commission’s facilities in the State had earlier been vandalized in Orlu Local Government, Oru Local Government and in the State Capital, Owerri.

In a Statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, on Wednesday INEC facilities, another attack waa carried out on Tuesday, leaving eight windows smashed and burglary proofs removed.

It also noted that ballot boxes and voting cubicles had been evacuated to another INEC facility for safe keeping, including uncollected Permanent Voters Cards have been secured as well.

The statement read “The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Imo State, Professor Sylvia Agu, has reported that our office in Isu Local Government Area office was attacked and vandalised. The incident occurred at the early hours of Tuesday, 20th December 2022.

“ Eight windows were smashed, and burglary proofs removed. Fortunately, the attackers could not access the building. Movable and immovable equipment as well as other materials were not removed or vandalised.

“However, as a precautionary measure, critical materials such as ballot boxes and voting cubicles have been evacuated to another INEC facility for safe keeping.

“Similarly, all uncollected PVCs have been secured while security will be deployed to ensure the continuous collection of the cards by registered voters in the same premises.

“The incident has been reported to the Police and other security agencies for necessary action.

“This is the fourth attack on INEC facilities in Imo State in less than three weeks following previous attacks on Orlu and Oru West Local Government Areas and the State Headquarters in Owerri.”

2023 Elections: ICPC To Partner INEC Against Vote Buying

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Independent National Electoral Commission

By Akinwale Kasali

Electoral Umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has lamented the spate of vote buying that could mar the success of the forthcoming 2023 Polls.

To curb this,  the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has  declared its readiness to support INEC with visual aids to document cases of vote-buying.

Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, the ICPC Chairman, said the move by the anti graft agency would help INEC to monitor compliance with the extant provisions of the electoral act.

Owasanoye made this statements while addressing a stakeholders’ summit on the influence of money on the 2023 general election, organised by INEC at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.

In a statement by the ICPC, the Chairman was quoted to have said, “We will support the INEC in monitoring compliance before, during and after the elections. We have been deploying and we will continue to deploy officers for election monitoring with visual aids to document vote-buying because sometimes you cannot immediately enforce during the process but after.

“As you know, elections may be extremely volatile and emotional, so the recording of the process of what we find will enable us follow up activities as we had in Ekiti, Anambra and Osun elections.”

He added that intelligence gathering concerning the campaign finances of all the political parties in the country was ongoing just as he promised that the Commission was ready to give its best in supporting INEC to deliver credible elections in 2023.

He said, “We will be assessing INEC’s political financing report. We are in this position because of the access we have to records and intelligence to benchmark what is submitted against the reality of what we saw moving and this will be very helpful in crossing the Ts and dotting the Is, in affirming or challenging the credibility of reports that have been submitted.”

The INEC Boss, Mahmood Yakubu, on his part said that he is perturbed about the negative role money played in the country’s electoral processes.

He said, “The negative role of money in elections goes to the very heart of our democracy. It destroys the very basis of democratic elections which is that citizens should freely choose those who exercise power on their behalf. Even more worrisome is the high prospect that criminal money may find its way into our elections through money laundering.”

He revealed that technical measures to curb vote trading have been put in place by the Commission while soliciting the support of security agencies to restrain the influence of money in elections.

“Let me reiterate the commission’s resolve to continue to employ both technology and administrative measures to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process. I assure Nigerians that preparations for the 2023 General Election is on course and we shall not be swayed from that course.

“Nigerians should be rest assured that the BVAS has come to stay. Electronic transmission of results has come to stay. Public display of polling unit results through the IReV has come to stay. With today’s initiative, the elimination of negative use of money in our electoral process will be tackled head-on,” the INEC Chairman assured.

Kogi: Gunmen Ambush Police Patrol Team, Kill Two Officers

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

It was a bloody Wednesday for some Policemen attached to Kogi State Command of the Nigerian Police as gunmen ambushed a police patrol team, killing two and wounding two other officers.

The incident has been confirmed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP William Ovye-Aya in a statement in Lokoja.

Ovye-Aya explained that the attack on the police patrol team occurred on the Agbaja road, Lokoja where the hoodlums, emerged from the bush and attacked the team as the Policemen arrived for their routine patrol.

The statement reads, “Today, December 21, our Command received the unfortunate report and wicked attack on our patrol team on the Agbaja road, Lokoja the attention of some hoodlums.

“The hoodlums emerged from the bush and attacked the team when they arrived for their routine patrol on the said road. Unfortunately and sadly, the command lost two of its personnel.

“The gunmen, however, fled before a re-enforcement team arrived at the scene of the ugly incident.”

Ovye-Aya said that State Commissioner of Police, Akeem Yusuf, has deployed a team of tactical operatives to the area to trail the hoodlums, apprehend and bring them to book.

According to him, the commissioner has further directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Investigation to commence an investigation into the ugly incident.

Ovye-Aya stated further that the commissioner has appealed to the people of the area to assist the Police with credible information on the identity of the hoodlums to enable the command to check their criminal activity.

Mr President, Tinubu Plans to Disrupt 2023 General Elections, Call Him To Order

By
The Source
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0

By Debo Ologunagba

Gentlemen of the Press, we have called you today to through you alert Nigerians and the International Community of plots by enemies of democracy to frustrate and ultimately disrupt the conduct of the 2023 general elections.

We alert Nigerians that in compliance with the directive by the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to his Party members to deploy violence and snatch power in the 2023 general elections, the APC having realized that it has been rejected, has commenced its violent attacks to frustrate the conduct of the elections.

Nigerians can recall how the deflated and desperate Asiwaju Tinubu, in a closed-door meeting in London earlier this month, declared to his members that “political power is not going to be served in a restaurant, it is not served a la carte. It is what we are doing; It is being determined; you do it at all cost; fight for it, grab it, snatch it and run with it”.

In response to this directive, APC leaders and members have now activated plots to derail the electoral process through orchestrated violent attacks in various States of the country aimed to trigger a nationwide security emergency situation, instill fear and make it appear inconducive to conduct elections in the country.

Part of the plot is the current attacks on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in various parts of the country as witnessed in Ogun, Osun and Imo States where sections critical to the conduct of elections particularly those connected to the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) were targeted and destroyed.

Also, our Party has been made aware of plans by the APC to orchestrate attacks in other States particularly Kogi and Delta; some States of the South East as well as parts of the North with the view to subverting the electoral process in as many States as possible.

Intelligence available to our Party indicates that the attack on INEC facilities is to prevent newly registered voters from collecting their PVCs; destroy the PVC’s so that they will not be available for collection in INEC offices, and thirdly, destroy INEC equipment and cripple its capacity to conduct elections.

In addition, the APC has introduced a very disturbing dimension of “purchasing” PVCs from unsuspecting Nigerians through monetary inducement masquerading as empowerment programmes.

In any case our Party is not surprised at the resort to violence by Asiwaju Tinubu and the APC; a clear acceptance of electoral defeat which apparently accounts for the APC’s Presidential Candidate’s decision to boycott the signing of the National Peace Accord by Presidential Candidates in the 2023 elections.

It is apparent and disturbing that the APC Presidential Candidate has not issued any caution against the many acts of violence linked to members of his party. His body language and comments suggest the condoning of the ongoing violence on our electoral process.

Of course, the London meeting where Asiwaju Tinubu directed his Party members to unleash violence on Nigerians was a closed-door event which inadvertently leaked to the public. The aim of the APC was to hit our nation with violence and mislead security agencies to direct their investigation on criminal elements and social restiveness, instead of the real culprit, the APC.

The design it to create tension across the country to validate a narrative that elections cannot hold, then orchestrate a Constitutional crisis with a view to justifying a shifting of the elections and perpetuate certain APC elements in office beyond May 29, 2023.

The alarm raised by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on the several attacks on INEC’s facilities as widely reported in the media further confirms our fears.

According to the INEC Chairman, “Since the 2019 general elections, up till 2022, we have recorded 50 attacks in 15 States of the federation, but the ones we recorded in 2022 are the ones we consider as systematic and coordinated and these are the ones that are targeted at derailing the preparations of the Commission from conducting a free, fair, transparent and credible elections.

“If these attacks go into January and February, it may be difficult for us to recover from these attacks. This is because if you look at Section 134 of the Constitution, it has threshold that a candidate must meet before that candidate can be declared winner of any election”.

The PDP, therefore, alerts the security agencies to take immediate steps to investigate and stop the APC on its vicious plot to derail our democratic process.

The INEC should immediately invoke its regulatory powers and impose sanctions on the APC Presidential Candidate for constituting a clear and present danger to the electoral process. Our Party also calls on the International Community to impose strict sanctions including travel restrictions on APC leaders found culpable of instigating and encouraging violence in the electoral process.

The PDP again demands that President Muhammadu Buhari should call Asiwaju Tinubu and his Party members to order so that Nigerians can peacefully choose their next President through a free, fair, transparent and credible electoral process.

The choice of who becomes the President of Nigeria rests on the Will of the people through the free exercise of their votes and the APC Presidential Candidate should come to terms with the resolve of Nigerians to vote in the PDP Candidate, Atiku Abubakar as the next President.

Asiwaju Tinubu must accept the fact that Atiku Abubakar is more popular and possess the competence, requisite experience, presence of mind, mental alertness, physical stamina and political will that Nigerians earnestly yearn for in a leader at this critical time.

We, therefore,call on Nigerians not to succumb to the proclivities of the APC but remain resolute in defending our democratic process and rallying with the PDP in our mission to Rescue, Rebuild and Redirect our nation from the suffocating government of the APC.

Text of a Press Conference addressed by Debo Ologunagba National Publicity Secretary of the PDP on Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Group Drags South West Governors To Court Over Insecurity

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Piqued by spate of insecurity, a Pan-Yoruba group, Yoruba Koya Leadership and Training Foundation (YKLTF), has dragged the governors Southwest States to a Federal High Court.

The suit filed at the Ibadan division of the Federal High Court is marked: FHC/IB/CS/189/22.

Also joined in the suit are governors of Kwara, Kogi and Edo states,  because their states have substantial Yoruba speaking population.

In the suit filed by the group’s lawyer, Mr Tayo Douglas, plaintiffs said that they resolved to take the legal path due to the seeming lackadaisical attitude of the governors towards the plight of the citizens in their respective states as regards security.

The plaintiffs; are Otunba Ayodeji Osibogun, Prof. Bisi Sowunmi, Chief (Mrs) Ronke Okusanya, Senator Olatokunbo Ogunbanjo and Mr. Olakunle Osuntokun.

They sued on behalf of themselves and the registered trustees of the Yoruba Koya Leadership and Training Foundation.

They specifically asked the court for an “Order compelling the Defendants to take all lawful and legal means necessary to protect the lives, dignities, personal liberties as well as the freedom of the people of the respective community from any acts of discrimination, dominion and oppression by the local and foreign marauding herders, bandits and kidnappers, who continue to terrorise, rape, maim, kill and kidnap the people of the said community daily without any inhibition.

Besides they asked for another “order compelling the defendants to take every lawful and legal means necessary to protect their respective communities and their farm lands from the encroachment and invasion of both local and foreign herders.

The defendants are the governors and attorneys-general of the Southwest states as well as Edo, Kogi and Kwara states.

In a 17 paragraph affidavit in support of the suit, the group averred that the Yoruba people are being subjected to incessant kidnapping, armed robberies, terrorism, banditry by both local and foreign invaders.

They noted that the suit is in line with the constitution of Nigeria and in the interest of the people of the Yoruba ethnic group with absolute rights as provided under the Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights to protect themselves and their means of livelihood from destruction by the foreign/local herders and bandits.

Deponent of the affidavit, Otunba Osibogun, noted that of recent, road travelling through the states inhabited by the Yoruba people in Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo have become dangerous owing to the incessant kidnapping, banditry and robbery being carried out by the foreign/local herders and bandits along the highways unchallenged.

He claimed that a visit to various farming communities in Yoruba land at personal risks to interview and interact with the farmers and other inhabitants, revealed that the farmers can no longer go to their farms for fear of being killed or Kidnapped by the foreign/local herders and life generally have become very hard, nasty and frustrating to them.

“It will be recalled that in the past, we made attempt by writing letters and sending emissaries to the governors which have not yielded results. We have decided to pursue the legal step to at least ask them to come to the aid of the citizens.”

The organization believes that this path will compel the governors to act promptly and in good faith for the betterment of the masses in their care.

No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.

Pastor Kumuyi Says State Of Mind Best Determinant Of Age

By
Ayodele Oni
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0

By Ayodele Oni

General Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Church in Nigeria, Pastor Williams Kumuyi has declared that age is determined by the state of mind and that he is not sure whether he knows his age.

Pastor Kumuyi, who doubles as the Convener of the Global Crusade With Kumuyi, (GCK), stated this in Ado Ekiti on his arrival at the venue of the Crusade at the Deeper Life Camp Ground, Ajebandele, in the Ekiti State Capital.

The Ekiti Global Crusade With Kumuyi is expected to commence on the 22nd December, 2022 and last till the 27th December, 2022 with the theme “The Great Transformation For Total Triumph.”

The Convener of the GCK, has been scheduled to Minister in word for the days of the crusade while Jonathan White will also be ministering live in Music.

In a chat with Journalists,  he said, “as for age, I don’t know whether I know my age or not. I believe that one’s age depends on how he feels on the inside.

“If we go by the chronological number of years and all that, and we say, okay, it’s this, it’s that. He is getting old.

“But if you look at the state of the mind, and the vision and the focus, the energy and the focus of what you want to see done in your own time, can you really determine who is old or not old?”

“To raise up people that will be able to do something for our time and in our generation; when you looke at the people, the function of their brain, the function of their mind and their thinking ability, you will realize that quite a lot of things determine who a person is, as for age.

“But if I look at those parameters, I don’t feel old and I don’t feel that I am ageing as well.”

Pastor Kumuyi revealed that he used to be surprised, sometimes, how he remember things, both recent happenings and the past events.

Peter Obi: Labour Party Denies His Alleged Link With IPOB; Dismisses It As Laughable, Ridiculous

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Peter Obi

By Akinwale Kasali

Tanko Yunusa, Spokesperson for Labour Party, LP, Presidential Campaign Council, has frowned at,  and debunked speculations that its Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, has a link with the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

This development came up following allegations by a fringe Civil Society group, Concerned Citizens Network, CCN, in a petition to the European Union, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom, alleging the proscribed group was supporting Obi for the forthcoming 2023 elections.

The Group had alleged that the former Anambra State Governor has received tactic support from IPOB since he indicated interest to contest the 2023 presidential election.

Clearing the air about the allegations that has generated controversy, Yunusa, in an interview with The Punch Newspaper  said there was no iota of truth in the allegation, adding that it was made up to pitch Mr. Obi’s supporters in the South-East region. against him.

Yunusa said, “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 to 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 for 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.”

CCN had addressed its petition signed by its President, Duru Chima, and the Group’s Secretary General, Ajibade Jacobs to the European Union, EU Mission in Nigeria, the US Ambassador in Nigeria, and the UK High Commission in Nigeria, said Obi continues to play to the gallery regarding the nefarious activities of IPOB in South-East Nigeria despite the wanton destruction of lives and properties.

The Group also alleged that the South East region has constantly come under IPOB threats which the group said Obi had refused to condemn nor articulate how he intends to tackle the threat posed by the IPOB if elected president in the forthcoming elections.

It said, “We have it on credible authority that IPOB has tactically endorsed Peter Obi’s presidential aspiration, which is mainly responsible for enlisting some known IPOB sympathizers into his presidential campaign council.

“On several occasions, Obi has systematically refused to make the IPOB threat to our democracy a campaign focus because the promoters of IPOB are his kinsmen and known financial contributors to his presidential campaign.

This is a worrisome trend that would put the country in a precarious situation should Peter Obi be elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The deceitful game played by Peter Obi and his supporters can promote ethnic and religious tension in the country.

“In several public outings, he attempted to change the narrative concerning the formation and sustenance of IPOB by alluding that it was a creation of governors of states in the South-East. This, we gathered from reliable sources, was a part of the deal he entered with the group in return for support during the presidential elections.

“The overarching objective is to attack critical government establishments such as the Nigerian Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s offices to harass and intimidate faithfuls of other parties into submission to voting for Obi in the presidential elections.”

In the letter written to the US Ambassador to Nigeria, the group further alleged that Mr. Obi has been an IPOB patron, prior to his presidential aspiration under the Labour Party.

It added, “He extended logistic and financial support to the group while he was governor of Anambra State. It is also a known fact that IPOB has tactically avoided areas that are strongholds of Obi and have launched attacks in the regions that are not his stronghold by intimidating and harassing those that do not share in the ideology of Obi.

“Scores of lives have been lost and properties destroyed by the activities of IPOB. We have it on good authority that Peter Obi promised to upturn the proscription of IPOB as a terrorist group by the federal government.

“The recent damage by IPOB is a part of the script endorsed by Obi as an action strategy to ensure that other political parties do not make inroads in South-East Nigeria during the elections.

:The Peter Obi Presidential Campaign has also engaged a massive identification of supporters and patrons of other political parties in South-East Nigeria to cause bodily harm to them and destroy their businesses, weakening their support and preparations for the general elections.

“The Ambassador may wish to admit that, indeed, these are trying times in the country and South East region, in particular with the recent drive by IPOB to make the region unsafe for those that do not support the presidential aspiration of Obi.

“It is thus our passionate appeal to the USA to beam its searchlight on the activities of the Peter Ob: presidential campaign team to unravel the mystery behind the sudden resurgence of the notorious activities of IPOB.

“In a recent interview on Channels Television, Peter Obi was quoted as saying IPOB members live around him and do not constitute a threat to the country. He was quoted saying he would dialogue with IPOB if elected president.

“This is indeed unacceptable, hence this letter calling on the attention of the United States of America to look ints to an unholy alliance between Peter Obi and [POB. Nigeria cannot afford a president poised w propagate ethnoreligious conflict at this critical point of our existence.

“As critical stakeholders in our democracy, we wish to appeal for the urgent intervention of the USA in ensuring that Peter Obi and his supporters de not plunge Nigeria into a conflict of unimaginable proportions.”

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