A former governorship contender in Enugu State, Dr. Alex Chukwuemeka Obiechina, has said the defection of the former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, from the Labour Party (LP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) would strengthen national unity.

According to him, Obi’s move would put an end to political marginalisation of the South East geopolitical zone.

Obiechina, in a statement yesterday, said the time had come for the entire South, particularly the South East geopolitical zone, to join hands with the rest of Nigeria to pursue fairness and political inclusion.

He disclosed that, as a coalition platform of patriotic Nigerians, the ADC has come at a time of great need for national reconstruction and rescue, pointing out that support for Obi’s presidential aspiration should mark the real pathway to the promised reintegration and rehabilitation of the Eastern region.

While contending that truth, fairness, justice and equity should be the foundation of a new Nigeria that works for every citizen, Obiechina noted that, after the South West has produced presidents for the country, it is crystal clear that the South East should be supported in 2027 to produce the next president.

He expressed satisfaction that the former Anambra State governor ticks all the boxes in terms of capacity, competence, credibility and compassion to lead Nigeria into a new era of progressive economic prosperity, national unity and political stability.

His words: “Going back to history, we find that at birth Nigeria was founded on a chequered regional tripod, including North, East and West.

“Now, after North and West have taken turns in producing Nigeria’s leaders, fairness demands that the East should be supported to occupy the exalted office, especially when a credible and capable candidate is coming from the region.

“It is against this equitable background that I wish to call on my fellow South East politicians to unite and give the rest of Nigerians further reason to support Peter Obi to become Nigeria’s President in 2027.

“Within the past four years, Mr Peter Obi has demonstrated capacity to unite Nigeria and help heal the country’s economic wounds made worse by mismanagement and wasteful aggrandisement. In his days as Anambra State governor, Obi showed that cutting the cost of governance is not rocket science.”

Obiechina urged South East governors not to be cogs in the wheel of progress, arguing that it would be self-deprecating to become weapons against the new thinking about real reintegration of the geopolitical zone in the scheme of things.

He stated: “When he emerged as Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in 2023, they said Peter Obi has no structure. After he became the second runner-up in the election, they said he should align with other regions. Now, Obi has joined other Nigerians with like minds on a nationwide coalition; South East should not be his Achilles heel.

“Our country has come a long way. The rebuilding of the country should begin with renewed vigour and collective zeal. Nigeria needs the enterprising ingenuity of the Igbo, the social vivacity of the West and the expansive arable land of the North to engender sustainable growth and shared prosperity.” (The Sun)