By PETER ANOSIKE

A pan-Nigerian group, Movement For The Actualization Of Nigerian President of Igbo Extraction (MANPIEX), has said that Chief Obafemi Awolowo would have endorsed the Labour Party presidential candidate for the 2023, Peter Obi, if he was still alive.

Addressing a press conference in Lagos, the group said that the reason was because Peter Obi’s life style would have endeared him to Chief Awolowo.

According to the Convener of the group, Joe Nwokedi, all the organizations and individuals who have endorsed the candidacy of Peter Obi outside Igbo land, which include Afenifere, PANDEF, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Edwin Clark, Hakim Baba Ahmed, to mention just a few, toed the line of fairness and unity of Nigeria as was demonstrated by the founding fathers of the country.

Nwokedi said that Peter Obi was standing on a tripod of equity, competence and credibility.

On equity, he said that Peter Obi, coming from Southeast, the zone that has not produced president since the dawn of the democracy in 1999, makes it fair and equitable that his candidacy should be given support by every well-meaning Nigerian so as to maintain the unity, togetherness and love that brought the founding fathers together.

“On competence, Peter Obi is the most competent of all the aspirants for the office of the president in 2023. He has demonstrated enormous capacity, integrity and sincerity in his past and present endavour that has clearly stood him out among all the aspirants of the office and, as such, should be overwhelmingly supported by all Nigerians. On the part of credibility, he is very credible, considering his experience both in private and public life, where he has excelled beyond the imagination of his friends and foes.”

In her contribution, Nkeiruka Ifekwem, said that Peter Obi’s life style and prudence in management of men and resources was what Nigeria needs in order to save the country from total collapse.

She also expressed happiness that Peter Obi’s candidacy has become a movement that has taken over the whole country.

Also contributing, one of the local government Co-ordinators, Pius Onwuraodika, said that among all the presidential candidates, Peter Obi was the only one that inherited a state in debit and left it in credit and, as such, should be voted for, so that he would replicate the same feat nationally.