New Telegraph

No patriot’ll see Obi’s bid from ethnic perspective –SERG

Pan-Igbo socio-political pressure group, the South East Revival Group (SERG) has commended what it described as “rare patriotic view” of the Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr. Hakeem Baba- Ahmed, on Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party. SERG was reacting to a tweet by Dr. Baba-Ahmed after a meeting with Obi, in which he said: “I spent valuable time with Mr. Peter Obi this morning. I wish those who see him as an ethnic candidate can get to know him better. I also wish those who try to sell him will tone down his ethnic identity.

I hope the nation will see the candidates up close, we could see a revolution.” The group in a statement signed by its President and National Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu, said that the spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum “never spoke as a politician but as a patriot and courageous statesman.” SERG added: “We commend the rare patriotic view of Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed on Mr. Peter Obi’s presidential bid and anyone who thinks otherwise is either a typical politician with vested interest or an ethnic bigot who should not be taken seriously.

“Nigerians yearned for change in 2015 based on what was presented to them by a political party but they have so far been disappointed by the choice that was made. “Ahead of the 2023 general election, the ordinary citizens of Nigeria, irrespective of political and religious affiliations, have taken charge and made a choice of a presidential candidate they deserve after the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) disappointed them by their wrong choices. “No patriotic Nigerian can approach the presidential bid of Mr. Peter Obi from ethnic or religious perspectives.

A support for Obi is a vote for competence and accountable leadership.” SERG also urged Nigerians to reflect on the submission NEF’s Convener, Prof Ango Abdullahi, that neither Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP nor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the ruling All APC can fix Nigeria’s challenges in electing the next president. Ag a i n s t this backdrop, the group urged all lovers of good governance, rule of law, infrastructure development, n a t i o n a l unity, security of lives and property, as well as quality education to key into the Obi Movement ahead of the 2023 presidential election for the sake of the future of Nigeria and her peoples of all tribes and religion.

“ N i g e – ria is at the crossroads and Nigerians do not need to gamble at this critical time in our national life. So, Nigeria as a country needs urgent help to survive the next four years and Obi stands out as one who has been tested without any baggage of corruption trailing his past. “For us to move forward as a country at this time, we need a leader who has what it takes to stop the country’s economic drift at this moment Nigeria appears to have a blink future. Obi has been a governor of a state and has unequalled scorecard, which none of his opponents have, especially in tackling the country’s economic and secu-rity challenges.

“Where Nigeria is today is not the point to depend on mere political promises at campaign rallies but to take advantage of practical experience based on past records. As governor, Obi confronted insecurity, debt burden and unpaid arrears of salaries and pensions in Anambra State, which he cleared without borrowing a dime. “Unarguably, no governor in Nigeria since the second republic can, in all honesty, be said to be corruption free or have been able to leave money in a state coffers to the tune of over N75 billion and swore to an affidavit of facts on the same, except Obi.

“Obi named the banks where the monies were left for his successor and has continually challenged all Nigerians to go to the banks and verify his claims since he left office as Anambra State governor till date. Beyond that, he severally challenged individuals and the anti-corruption agencies in the country to prove any corruption allegation against him. “As a matter of fact, in January 2019, while campaigning as the presidential running mate in his former political party, Obi openly begged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe him and till date, no corruption case has been leveled against him.

“It is time for Nigerians from all works of life to queue behind Obi. It’s not time to play politics. The future of Nigeria is blink with the prevailing debt profile and continuous borrowing by the federal government. Obi has demonstrated that he has practical experience to move Nigeria out of the woods just as he ended strike and paid all inherited arrears of salaries and pensions in either years of his tenure,” SERG said.

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