Former governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi has publicly tongue-lashed supporters of Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
David Umahi while speaking on Friday in Abuja at the minister performance press briefing, criticized the behaviour of Peter Obi’s supporters who are identified as the Obidients. Dave Umahi described Obi’s supporters as people who are very disobedient and whom he would not want to be associated with nor act like.
Dave Umahi made the remark while trying to commend his colleagues for their commitment and cooperation.
He said: ” I do not want to act like the Obidients who are very disobedient nor like the members of the Labour Party. I want to commend my colleagues starting with the minister of state for works, the permanent secretaries. But my greatest commendation goes to the president of the federal republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, Umahi said in his opening remark. The minister is understood to be referring to the pessimism of Peter Obi supporters over president Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Many in their reactions, sought to know the connection between the Minister’s performance press briefing and the supporters of Mr. Peter Obi.
David Umahi’s surprising utterance comes a few days after the Nigerian senate president, Godswill Akpabio also made similar verbal attack on the person of Mr. Peter Obi and his supporters who are vastly Nigerian youths clamouring for positive social and economic change in Nigeria.
In his unsavoury remarks, the senate president taunted Peter Obi over the internal leadership crisis in his party, the Labour Party. He challenged Peter Obi to resolve the internal leadership crisis in his party as a way of showing leadership and his capability to lead Nigeria. He insinuated that Peter Obi is incapable of leading Nigeria by his inability to put his party in order.
Aside the senate president, Mr. Peter Obi has in recent time received scathing criticism from high political figures including the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Interestingly, while the members of the ruling party appear rattled by Peter Obi’s increasing boldness and popularity across states and ethnicity of Nigeria following his performance in the 2023 presidential election, political analysts suggest that the presidency envisages Peter Obi as possessing the political capacity to impede president Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reelection in 2027; understandably why president Tinubu’s political allies have renewed their attack on the former governor of Anambra state who also is being tipped for the coalition party presidential candidate in 2027.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressive Congress have been accused of being sponsoring crisis in the opposition parties and plotting to turn the country into a one party state.
While the presidency has denied the allegation, the major opposition parties in the country is currently experiencing exodus of political leaders elected on their platforms to the ruling party.
Many including former president Goodluck Jonathan have warned against the implication of such an unprecedented political realignment taking place before the 2027 presidential election especially as the opposition parties are incapacitated by internal crisis and party leadership that is playing second fiddle for the ruling party rather than hold the ruling party to account.
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