By CHARLES IWUOHA

A solidarity rally for the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, on Saturday, was disrupted by the infiltration of some agents of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State.

It was gathered that they were allegedly sponsored by a former PDP governorship candidate (name withheld).

The accused had, in consort with some stakeholders of the ruling PDP in the state, deceptively convened a conference tagged “Charity Begins At Home,” using the platform of the Obedient Group and the Labour Party.

The rally which started with a road walk, attracted both the young and old, who were dressed in various T-shirts and caps, with a bold inscription: “Obi-dients”, commenced peacefully at the Michael Okpara Square, to the Kobb Event Centre, Polo Park, where leaders of the party addressed the supporters.

The hall was however decorated with Labour Party logo and inscription “Charity Begins At Home”, powered by “OPM”, Odegene’s political pressure group. Close observation also showed that there was a handful of known PDP members already seated in the hall, with the women wearing yellow browsers.

The event took off peacefully with excitement and enthusiasm, and people were hailing Peter Obi and Datti as men who are coming to change the narrative in Nigeria.

The event began to turn sour when it was observed that the brochure for the “Charity Begins at home” had the picture of Evaristus Nnaji (Odengene), as Labour Party Gubernatorial candidate for Enugu State. The bubble got burst when the Master of Ceremonies introduced Odengene as “the next Governor of Enugu State”.

Instantly, supporters of Chijioke Edeoga, Labour Party Gubernatorial Candidate, rose in unison and started chanting in solidarity: “Edeoga K’anyi ga eso, Ma ona Eje-eje Ma Ona Ana-ana, Edeoga K’anyi ga eso.”

They asserted that Chijioke Edeoga is the only Gubernatorial Candidate of the Labour Party in Enugu State, and that any other person is an impostor. For over forty minutes, activities at the Event Centre were grounded as Edeoga’s supporters refused to beat a retreat, insisting that nothing would take place until the anomaly was redressed.

It took the intervention of security officials and other party leaders to placate the supporters, who moved in their numbers, out of the hall to continue their protest.

When normalcy returned, leaders of the party explained that the event was organized to shore support for Obi and Datti, and not for endorsement of any governorship candidate.

They urged the people of the South East to support Peter Obi, because he is the best Presidential Candidate that can fix the country, stressing that Nigeria’s healing was about to become permanent, and that the thrust of that healing is Peter Obi.

“Today peace has eluded the North because one man wanted to rule at all cost in 2015. They could not manage the bandits they imported, but in Peter Obi, we are sure the country is secured.”