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In a sharp rebuke, Minister of Works David Umahi called out Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s standard-bearer in the 2023 elections, for allegedly stirring up anti-government sentiment among young people from the South-East. Umahi made it clear that Obi’s views do not represent the collective voice of Ndigbo.
During a gathering of Ebonyi State youths and stakeholders at the Christian Ecumenical Center in Abakaliki, Senator Umahi clarified that the true representatives of Ndigbo are the South-East Governors, traditional rulers, and the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo – not Peter Obi. He emphasized that these established leaders are the authentic voice of the Ndigbo people.
“Let me say this, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi does not speak for Ndigbo. Our Governors, Ohaneze Ndigbo and our traditional rulers are our leaders, they speak for us. Let the enemies of Ndigbo hear it and hear it clearly, our Governors and Ohaneze Ndigbo are the mouthpiece of Ndigbo.
“Let nobody take the comment of one person and begin to malign us. We are very peaceful people. We will continue to support Mr. President. My advice to our brother is to have a rethink so as not to incite some of the uninformed youths against the rule of law and endanger the peace of the nation.
“Whenever there is protest, the economy of such a nation goes down. The #EndSars protest did not generate anything but the people gathered and interacted with the government and issues raised were addressed.
“Protest does not yield anything. It is when you make your grievances known that it will be addressed and let me say it that President Bola Tinubu is addressing all the grievances of the youths and the people,” he said.
Read also: Peter Obi’s Camp Anticipates Further Defections – POSN
Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State addressed the gathering, imploring the youths and stakeholders to shun the planned protest. He assured them that his administration is tirelessly working to tackle the key challenges that will enhance the well-being of every resident.
Governor Nwifuru assured the youths that his administration is committed to listening to their grievances and concerns, and will work tirelessly to address their demands, requests, and aspirations, ensuring their voices are heard and valued.
Governor Nwifuru appealed to Nigerians to rally behind President Tinubu, acknowledging that he is navigating complex challenges. He praised the President’s decisive action in abolishing the fuel subsidy, unmasking it as a multi-billion naira scam engineered by oil industry stakeholders for personal enrichment.
“Let me make it clear that those who were major beneficiaries of the fuel subsidy are the ones fighting back against the interest of Nigerian youths but with our support, President Bola Tinubu will definitely defeat all those fighting his administration,” the Governor stated.
The planned protest faced strong opposition from a coalition of Ebonyi State leaders, comprising former Senate President Sen. Anyim Pius, former Governor Chief Martin Elechi, NLC and TUC leadership, traditional rulers, and Student Union Government bodies, who collectively urged against participating in the demonstration.
