General Obi Umahi (rtd), the former Chairman, South-East Security Committee has said that both the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APC, has shown that the South East part of Nigeria doesn’t matter to them, declaring his support for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
General Umahi, senior brother of Ebonyi State Governor stated this in an interview with Sunday Sun.
Umahi questioned the sense of justice, adding that Nigeria is at war and except an Igbo man becomes the president, the war might continue. He further stressed that Nigeria will experience growth with an Igbo Presidency.
“They have simply shown that the Southeast does not matter to them. It is then left for the Southeast to know what to do. I have said it before and I am repeating it here that Nigeria is at war with itself and unless a Nigerian president of Southeast extraction emerges, unless the Igbo take the position of the president, the country may likely continue to be at war. Where is the justice? When injustice is projected into the political system you will definitely have a problem. Give the Southeast the opportunity to lead Nigeria as the president, you will witness an unprecedented turnaround. Nigeria is at war with itself and it is in our hands to make Nigeria work. Some have sworn that the Southeast must remain down, neglected, rejected, insulted etc, but that is where the solution to salvage this country is hidden. You cannot neglect the Igbo and doing that will be at a huge cost. They have sacrificed so much, including their blood for Nigeria. There is urgent need for justice for the people because you cannot have genuine peace in the midst of deepening injustice.”
The former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Nigerian Army; Commanding Officer, 72 Airborne Battalion; Commander Army Task Group (Operation Restore Hope), went on to say that the Labour Party presidential candidate has no rival in the coming election and won’t be an Igbo president.
“Peter Obi has no rival there. He stands tall given his antecedents. He is not going to be president for Ndigbo. No. There are those making frantic effort to give his candidacy Igbo colouration, no, he is not. His acceptance across the country is huge and massive. He is eminently qualified for that position and he will, no doubt, make a good president of Nigeria. If you want me to rate them, I will say: First, Peter Obi, second, Peter Obi, third, Peter Obi. There is no argument about Peter Obi because he will deliver.”
“Some people talk about structure as if it is an abstract thing. What is structure if not the people? We have banked on some big names as the structure and what did we get? There structure failed Nigerians. Nigerians are wiser today. You saw the enthusiasm that greeted the voters registration exercise and you think that was for nothing? If there is no sabotage of the BVAS, no interruption with the INEC server etc, Nigerians will make a statement with their vote in 2023. As we speak, Peter Obi is leading in the latest poll research result. Obi has all it takes to fix this country.
Commenting on the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC, he said: “Muslim-Muslim ticket is a no brainer, just like in this country, if you say Christain-Christain ticket, Christian as president, Christian as vice president; can people accept that in all sincerity? Can we accept it as a possibility in Nigeria in view of the sensitive nature of religion and ethnic sentiment in the country today? Some places would have started to burn by now if it has been a Christain-Christain ticket. It insults the sensibility of Christians. You cannot be insensitive about the critical nature of religion and ethnicity in the politics of this nation, except we just want to pretend and deceive ourselves. Those who are pushing the agenda today will not take it if it had happened the other way round. They will bring down thunder and brimstone, but today they are pretending that there is no danger. They can only deceive themselves. Are you saying that there are no competent Christians in the North? What you cannot take, why force it on another, applying unnecessary logic to suit you. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. It should not be a matter of when it suits you then you support, no.”
