By TINA TIMOTHY

Peter Obi Support Network (POSN) has called on the leadership of the Labour Party (LP) to immediately discontinue any discussions with the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) on the issue of forming any alliance between the two political parties, saying that the NNPP Presidential Candidate, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso, was not ideologically inclined to Mr Peter Obi or the Labour Party (LP).

In a statement on Monday, July 4, 2022, which was signed by POSN’s Director, Strategic Communication, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, the group noted that while genuine Nigerian patriots believed in Peter Obi out of their conviction that his candidacy was a unifying, ideas-driven and masses-propelled pan-Nigerian project, Kwankwaso’s remarks concerning the NNPP-LP alliance in a television programme on Sunday, July 3, 2022, revealed that his candidacy was propelled by the North rather than by Nigerians, adding that he may be aiming to be an ethnic-inspired candidate, rather than a new Nigerian patriot and advocate which POSN campaign was hinged on.

The statement reads: “Following his outing on the Seun Okinbaloye-anchored “Politics Today” on Channels Television, all doubts have been erased that the Presidential Candidate of the fledgling New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso, is not ideologically inclined to Mr. Peter Obi or the Labour Party, especially, on the key issues driving our principal's aspiration to the Presidency.

“His Excellency Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso has regrettably manifested a most distasteful understanding of the Nigerian situation, as he advertised himself as totally hinging his aspiration to the Presidency on the basis of where he comes from, rather than where he wants to take Nigeria to, by arguing that his candidacy is propelled by the North rather than by Nigerians and also emphasizing on our ethnic differences rather than blunting them, we feel that Dr. Kwankwanso sharing a ticket with Peter Obi will alienate genuine Nigerian patriots who have bought into the Peter Obi candidacy out of their conviction that it is a unifying, ideas-driven and masses-propelled, pan-Nigerian project.

“By coming on Television, even while the alliance talks are yet to be finalized, to categorically foreclose the chances of pairing with Mr. Peter Obi as running mate, Dr. Kwankwanso has shown himself as coming to this alliance negotiation with a closed mindset rather than being open to superior ideas, logics and credible electoral and political data.

“That an in-depth analysis of Dr. Kwankwanso's utterances and arguments on the TV program gives the disturbing impression that the former Minister of Defence might be aiming to be an ethnic-inspired candidate, rather than a new Nigerian patriot and advocate which our campaign is hinged on.

“The Peter Obi Support Network therefore advises the leadership of the Labour Party to immediately call off any discussions with the New Nigeria Peoples Party, on the issue of forming any alliance between them and our presidential candidate, as the NNPP and her candidate have consistently displayed a most unfortunate insensitivity to the aspirations and desires for long-suffering Nigerians for a working, united and equitable Nigeria and a President that will make this happen in 2023.”

POSN further reiterated that Obi is motivated and inspired to work with Nigerian patriots, irrespective of their ethnicity, section or religion.

“We wish to reiterate that Mr. Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, is not motivated by any ethnic, sectional or religious sentiments, nor is he banking on the votes of a particular section of the country against the other, but inspired by the dream to, working together with like-minds, accomplish a working, productive, secured and equitable Nigeria, for all, and through the votes of all Nigerian patriots from all sections and classes of Nigeria,” the statement concluded.