The Spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, has mocked the absence of Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Yusuf Datti, at the unveiling of the presidential campaign council of their party in Abuja today.
While the event was ongoing, Obi tweeted that he was attending the 52nd Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) conference.
“I just arrived at the 52nd ICAN Annual Accountants Conference. -PO,” the former governor of Anambra wrote.
No reason has been given for the absence of his running mate at the event.
Reacting, Keyamo hinted that Obi’s absence could be as a result of him not giving dues to the party’s hierarchy.
He tweeted, “Those who want to lead Nigeria can’t work with party hierarchy; Peter Obi wants to boss it over those he met in a party that was gracious to open their doors to him!.”
Meanwhile, speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Doyin Okupe, director-general of the campaign council, said the processes through which Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar emerged as presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are “dishonourable” and “flawed”.
“In all honesty, these errors of selfish and opportunistic political manipulation are not only short-sighted and dangerous, but strike at the very heart of Nigeria’s peaceful coexistence, and in fact the very survival of the nation as an entity,” Okupe said.
He went on to praise the supporters of Obi, describing them as an organic movement.
“At this juncture, for the avoidance of doubt, let me state here clearly that our party, the Labour Party, as well as the Obi-Datti presidential ticket of the party, have not spent a kobo to organise, influence, or secure the massive following and support we have been getting from the Obidient Movement to date,” he added.
