A human rights activist, Paul Njoku, has told the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, that he lacks the right to gag angry Nigerians from airing their opinion about governance.
You can't stifle your supporters' voice, activist tells Obi
The activist said Obi doesn't have any right to dictate to his supporters who to respond to.
Peter Obi, Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (Leadership)
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This is coming on the back of a recent statement issued by Obi where he cautioned his teeming supporters against responding to any politician or presidential candidate that makes comment about him.
Obi's appeal was in response to a social media war that ensued between his supporters, otherwise known as Obidients, and the camp of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential flag-bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
In responding to the brickbat, Obi took to his Twitter page and said, “I most sincerely appreciate all my supporters and those of LP. I love you all. I wish to appeal to you to allow me to personally respond to any CANDIDATE that makes comments about me”.
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Meanwhile, Njoku has now countered the stand taken by the former Anambra State Governor.
The activist, in a statement, said it was wrong for Obi to tell Nigerians and his followers to look away while other presidential candidates attack him.
He noted that such advice stifles the fundamental human rights of Nigerians as related to freedom of expression, opinion among others as guaranteed in the constitution.
Njoku stated, “It is very sad and unacceptable that the Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, is incessantly telling angry Nigerians and his millions of supporters across the nation not to respond to any presidential candidate who ignorantly denigrates or criticises his quest to lead Nigeria to the Promised Land.
“He should stop stifling the fundamental human rights of Nigerians with respect to freedom of expression and opinion among others as guaranteed in the Nigerian constitution.
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“I want to remind him that he is an intended labourer of the masses and an upcoming employee of Nigerians due to his perceived competence, merit and capacity to deliver Nigeria from her present unbearable situation by the Buhari-led Federal Government.
“I, therefore, urge him to henceforth desist from telling his proposed employers (Nigerians) not to be engaging any presidential candidate as regards the murderous Nigerian economic situation as he lacks the right to issue such an unacceptable statement.
“I am convinced that Peter Obi does not utterly understand that the Obi movement is a new Nigerian movement for a rebirth of economic emissary and direct human capital development and growth.
“He must accept the fact that if millions of OBIDIENTS are rude and fierily disposed, they are responding to Nigeria’s 41 trillion naira debt.
“He should be told that Nigerians are responding to a dead educational system and responding to executive corruption in the corridors of power.
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“He should know that Nigerians are responding to the gripping poverty all over Nigeria. They are responding to the political looters and the trillions stolen by the Nigerian leaders of all levels over the years”.
Obi and Atiku have remained chummy with each other despite the fierce competition among their supporters.
The Labour Party presidential candidate was one of the prominent Nigerians that congratulated Atiku shortly after he won the PDP presidential ticket.
The former Vice President also returned the favor when he greeted Obi on his birthday recently.
Atiku selected Obi to be his running mate in the 2019 general elections when the latter was still in the PDP.
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