IBUKUNOLUWA KING-OKUNEYE
A former Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe has faulted those linking the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Ob,i to Igbo presidency and Biafra agitation.
Abaribe said such claims were part of a smear campaign to de-market Peter Obi.
The Abia senator pondered why the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu has not been referred to as “Yoruba presidency” and that of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, as Fulani presidency.
Abaribe made this statement during a virtual town hall meeting organized by Ikengaonline.
He emphasized that the former Anambra State governor should be seen as an individual pursuing his constitutionally-guaranteed rights.
Abaribe complained that critics should stop linking Obi to his tribe and religion.
He said: ”It’s unfortunate that Peter Obi’s emergence which is now a silver lining has come with complications. Tinubu has a presidential ticket, nobody is saying it’s a Yoruba ticket.
”Atiku has a ticket, nobody is saying it’s a Fulani ticket. But Peter Obi got a ticket and everybody is shouting: ’It’s Igbo presidency. Some even try to link him with the Biafra agitation.
”Have they tried to associate Tinubu with the Oduduwa self determination agitation? Or Atiku within the Fulani herdsmen menace or the banditry in the North?”