The supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, popularly known as Obidients have replied to the statement by a former governor of Anambra, Arthur Eze, condemning Obi’s ambition of contesting for the office of the president in 2023.

Eze, on Monday, said he warned Obi not to run for the highest political office in the country, noting he had told him he would not win, hence he would not support him.

The Anambra-born billionaire said this during the 2022 Ofala festival of His Royal Highness Igwe Robert Eze, the traditional ruler of Ukpo in Dunukofia local government area of the state.

“I warned Peter Obi to withdraw from this race but he would not listen. I told him plainly that I’m not part of his plans. I told him to drop his ambition…I told him he cannot win; so that he would not waste his time and money,” Eze said yesterday.

Reacting to Eze’s statement, Obidients said Obi is not running for the South-East region dominated by Igbo people, but rather contesting to be the president of Nigerian people to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

They said Obi, a Nigerian project does not need the support of Igbo politicians alone to become president but that of the Nigerian electorate who are his political structure.

Leading the conversation on the microblogging site, Cardinal Francis Arinze said Eze’s position was a strong indication that next year’s election is a battle between the poor masses and the rich politicians.

Francis Cardinal Arinze @C_FrancisArinze tweeted, “Mr Arthur Eze’s comment on Peter Obi is a clear sign that 2023 election will be a tussle between the poor and the rich, the youth and elders.

“If our Nigerian youths fail to take back their country in 2023, they will experience the worst suppression ever.

“GO AND GET YOUR PVC!”

Other netizens’ reactions are below:

Doctör Penking™ @drpenking wrote, “Arthur Eze has distanced himself from Peter Obi’s ambition just like Charles Soludo. It might seem odd but this gladdens my heart. It goes a long way to prove that Peter Obi is not an Igbo or Anambra project. He is a Nigerian project. Vote Peter Obi for a better Nigeria.”

Arthur Eze has distanced himself from Peter Obi’s ambition just like Charles Soludo. It might seem odd but this gladdens my heart. It goes a long way to prove that Peter Obi is not an Igbo or Anambra project. He is a Nigeria project.
Vote Peter Obi for a better Nigeria.— Doctör Penking™ (@drpenking) December 27, 2022

NKEM #PeterObi2023 @Nkemchor_

When Peter Obi said as Anambra state Governor the Igbo big men did not like his administration because he worked for the people he was referring to men like Arthur Eze.PO is a Nigerian Project and all he needs is the support of NIGERIANS to make him President. Obidients we move💯,” said, NKEM #PeterObi2023 @Nkemchor_

Pastor Idowu Bankole @Olubankoleidowu added, “Arthur Eze is just one man; we the poor masses are in large numbers and many a time Peter Obi has reiterated that we are his structure. Whether Obi is getting support from Igbo brothers or not, we have resolved to stand by him and ensure the country is changed for the better.”

ＣＨＹＢＳ ⫸ @chybxo reacted, “Arthur Eze opposed Obi and even Obiano’s governorship bid back then, Soludo has always been his man. Without Arthur Eze’s support, Peter Obi was governor and Peter Obi doesn’t need him to be president! They’ll all hang President Peter Obi’s picture on their walls from next year.”

It’s people like Arthur Eze, we want to take power from – Obi’s spokesman

Diran Onifade, the Spokesperson for the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has described comments ascribed to Anambra businessman, Chief Arthur Eze, about the LP candidate as unfortunate but not unexpected.

Onifade said this in a telephone interview with Vanguard, in Abuja, on Tuesday.

He was responding to Eze’s call on Obi to jettison his Presidential ambition because Ndigbo had other plans for now and in the future.

Onifade who made it clear that he was expressing his personal opinion on the subject, said, “It is the influence of people like that that we want to take our politics away from.

“He is part of the establishment and structure that young Nigerians what to take our country back from.

“When we take power from the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, the likes of Arthur Eze will no longer wield the kind of influence they enjoy today.

“You don’t expect them to take this lying down. Our candidate and our campaign remain focused on the take ahead which is to take back our country, rebuild it to make it take its proper place in the comity of nations. “