At all the strategic places, Obi addressed the Lagos crowd, preaching non-violence electioneering and promising a new Nigeria where the people will sojourn in peace and concord.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, electrified Lagos on Saturday as his campaign train arrived at the nation’s commercial nerve centre.
Youths, women, and men struggled to see and hear the presidential front-runner in the election due in a fortnight.
Obi’s visits to some markets and the road walk along strategic areas in the commercial city ensured that all parts of Lagos were engulfed in the Obi euphoria before finally assembling at the Tafawa Balewa Square to the warm embrace of another crowd of Obidients as Obi’s supporters are called.
According to Obi-Datti Media, attempts to frustrate the rally by some hoodlums and hirelings failed although Lagos Police Command confirmed four injured and many vehicles damaged by the gangsters ostensibly engineered by political opponents.
All through Alaba International Market in the Ojo area through Festac to Apapa, Ikeja through Maryland to Onipanu to Surulere among others, there was endless dancing and singing of ‘Obi Kerere nke’, all the way.
At all the strategic places, Obi addressed the Lagos crowd, preaching non-violence electioneering and promising a new Nigeria where the people will sojourn in peace and concord.
The LP flag bearer who was overwhelmed and humbled by the show of love described the massive crowd and the enthusiasm as awesome.
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He condemned any form of brutality and called on the youths to eschew violence, “As we go into the final stretch for the 2023 elections, I call on all Nigerians regardless of political affiliation or tendency to eschew violence. I condemn any form of violence or political thuggery and especially the incessant attack on my Obidient supporters,” he said.
Obi also called on the security forces nationwide to protect those exercising their fundamental rights of free speech and assembly, warning that the people’s civil space must not shrink further than it is already.
At the rally, Obi told Lagosians that he and Datti Baba-Ahmed would revolutionise governance and create a new Nigeria where people will be secure to live harmoniously in peace.
The former Anambra State governor told the visibly excited and thrilled crowd that he and Baba-Ahmed are more qualified than anybody in the race in so many ways: competence, capacity, antecedents and capabilities. He added that both of them coming from the private sector have paid their dues successfully and have no dented records as their past in all areas are verifiable.
He said that they would take Nigeria away from sharing to producing in line with their consumption-to-production policies which are intended to provide jobs to millions of youths in their productive age and through that pull people out of poverty.
Speaking specifically about Lagos, the nation’s commercial hub, Obi said that in revolutionising governance, the hiccups at the seaports will be rectified and enabling environment created for businesses.
The LP flag bearer reminded the mammoth crowd that February 25, 2023, presidential election is going to be different, it’s going to be based on competence, character, and competence of candidates not on tribe, religion, or turn. “It’s the turn of Nigerians to take back their country and reposition it for a huge role in the comity of nations,” he said.
Other speakers at the rally including Baba-Ahmed, LP National Chairman, Julius Abure; among others, buttressed the fact that a secured new Nigeria is possible through Obi and Baba-Ahmed and the Labour Party.
