By Julius Oweh
A third political force is sweeping across the nation, thanks to the social media, and the two main political parties are gasping for breath and trying to seek relevance in a polluted political space caused by them. It started as social media sensation and hardcore politicians were dismissive of it and taunting that Peter Obi has no structure. The youths have moved from the social media and are today giving practical ventilation to the political ambitions of Peter Obi of the Labour Party. The man is bringing fresh ideas into the political discourse with the youth, education and focusing more on issues while the two major political parties, the APC and PDP are busy throwing mud at him and unfortunately, the mud refused to stick to the man.
In saner climes, the likes of Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar could support the ambitions of Obi so that the nation can be rescued from the present mess but the two men who have none of that. One is a serial presidential contender and the other sees the presidency as entitlement and retirement, a la, it is my turn. Let my readers not get me wrong. Peter Obi is not a saint. He was a governor of Anambra State on the platform of APGA and once promised never to leave the party that has the influence of Dim Chukwumeka Ojukwu. He was also presidential running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the last election. He was also in the process of buying nomination form in the PDP but was pushed away by the stench of money politics. It was from that moment he caught the attention and imagination of the youths and began to use the social media to campaign for his political ambition. The Peter Obi movement is even beyond the man and if you say that his ambition would not go anywhere, then why are you having sleepless nights because of him.
Obis visit to churches is pigeonhole in the cocoon of a Christian president whereas other presidential candidates go to mosque and the heavens did not fall. If the man sneezes, it will be interpreted differently but all human beings do same. The other political parties are cautioning Obi to rein in the excesses of his followers on the net, yet there are hack writers both in the traditional and social media that write many unprintable things about the man. It is now a vice in Nigeria for a man to be frugal with his money and Peter Obi is called a stingy man. Why are the other politicians talking about Peter Obi and leaving issues? Even among his Igbo brothers, the type of Joe Igbokwe of Lagos APC and Governor Dave Umahi are busy inventing lies why Obi should not be voted for. I am not really bothered about Igbokwe because he is enjoying some privileges in Lagos state. But why should a state governor descend to gutter level to pour insults on Obi. The only crime of Obi is that he has decided to throw his hat into the ring to run for the presidency of the country, which of course, is his birthright. Listen to Governor Umahi:Peter Obis presidential ambition sounds so funny to me, I am yet to understand the magic. How can someone become President of Nigeria, without building structures and bridges across the ethnic groups in the country? Without structure, nobody can win any election in Nigeria, be it local, state or federal elections. My dear Umahi, even Peter Obi is surprised by his popularity across the country and cannot fathom the magic of his acceptability. The political revolution is beyond the man and that explains why people are donating buildings and money to rescue Nigeria, hoping that Peter Obi would be the vehicle for that transformation.
As for Atiku, Obi, his former running mate, it would take a miracle for Peter Obi to win the presidential election. He argued that Obi cannot win the 2023 election because Labour Party did not have any governor elected on its platform and no national assembly member. He concluded by saying that Obi made a mistake by leaving the PDP, adding that Obi stands a little chance of winning the 2023 election. Everybody is entitled to his opinion and if Obi is embarking on a wild goose chase, that should be his problem and Atiku should not be worried about that. If Obi made a mistake by leaving the PDP, let Obi regrets that mistake and should not be the headache of Atiku. If it would take a miracle for Obi to win the presidential election, that miracle should be the concern of Obi.
Bola Tinubu of APC, instead of him to focus on winning the election and his moslem/moslem presidential ticket that even some his party men are against is busy engaging hack writers to unsuccessfully pull down the rising political profile of Obi. He described the Labour Party as a mushroom party and told the members not to labour in vain. Even one writer in the media stable of Tinubu described the Obi political movement as obituary. Tinubu advised Obi that lies, misinformation wont take the man anywhere. If a man decides to labour in vain, why are you worried? That should be none of your business. If Ob is telling lies and misinformation, the people of Nigeria will know and will use their voters cards to separate the genuine politicians from the fake.
Let the facts be stated in stunning clarity. The road to the presidency is not paved with gold, for there are obstacles, thorns and hills. The PDP and APC are unknowingly campaigning for Peter Obi by focusing on him. They should tell Nigerians how the present plagues of insecurity, poverty, unemployment would be eradicated. Nigerians know the score cards of the two parties at the federal level. If Peter Obi is in a dream to become the president, allow the man to enjoy his dream.
