former governor of Anambra State and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, has said that no individual or group has a monopoly of violence, insisting that nobody can stop him from visiting any part of the country.

Obi was reacting to the Benin City incident and the subsequent threats circulating on the social media warning him against visiting certain parts of the country during a visit to Peter University, Achina, Anambra State.

“I am a Nigerian, and I am free to go to any part of this country. It is a constitutional right that nobody can take away from me. But let me make it clear, nobody has a monopoly of violence,” he said.

He explained why he travelled to Rivers State despite a strong warning that he should not step foot in the state, adding that such threats did not deter him from honouring an earlier invitation shortly after the Benin incident.

Obi, who has declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, alleged that there had been orchestrated efforts to keep him off the 2027 ballot, insisting that such moves would not deter him from pursuing his ambition.

“I’m not desperate to be the President of Nigeria, but I’m desperate to see Nigeria work.

“Nigeria has collapsed and is already lying on the ground. Nigeria is not working because many rich Nigerians are greedy. They have everything they need, but are still scavenging for more.

“No matter what they do, I must contest the election. Let them declare a free and fair contest, bring the ball to the centre of the field and declare it started, and let us see what happens.

“With their 30 governors, they should make the election free and fair,” Obi said.

He maintained that the country’s system was skewed against the poor and reiterated his belief that Nigeria should be a place where opportunities are open to all citizens.

“We want a country where the son of a nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody,” he said.

… on leaving Labour Party

Obi also explained his decision to leave the Labour Party for the African Democratic Congress, citing prolonged leadership disputes within the party and what he described as the refusal of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognize court judgments.

“You all know that I’m now in ADC. People have been asking why I left LP. We had been in court over the leadership of the Labour Party and secured favourable judgments, but INEC refused to recognise them.

“When I left on December 31, the same orders they were rejecting were suddenly recognized in January,” he said.

He alleged that certain constitutional amendments were being considered to frustrate his political ambition. (Saturday Vanguard, but headline rejigged)

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