The Conference of Peter Obi Grassroots Ambassadors, a political advocacy group, is optimistic that Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), will win a simple majority vote in the 2023 election, including securing the 25% constitutional requirements across at least 24 states of the federation.
The assurance was given in response to continued propaganda intended to reduce the likelihood that the LP candidate would win the public's support.
The Group also recalled that Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) had won the 2023 presidential election with 21% of the vote, defeating Ahmed Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in that order, according to a poll commissioned by Anap Foundation and conducted by NOI Polls Limited.
“The results showed a significant lead for Mr Peter Obi with 21 per cent of voters proposing to vote for him if the presidential election were to be conducted today; and 13 per cent each proposing to vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who are both tied in second place. Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso was a distant fourth with 3 per cent of voters proposing to vote for him,” a statement by ANAP foundation announcing the result of the poll shows.
“The result, however, showed that about 33 per cent of the respondents were undecided while another 15 per cent refused to disclose who they would vote for; an indication that Mr Obi’s lead, according to the poll, is surmountable.
“Mr Peter Obi’s 8 percentage point lead at this early stage is significant, but not sufficient to separate him completely from a leading pack of candidates scoring 21 per cent, 13 per cent and 13 per cent respectively,” ANAP said in its statement.
“Undecided voters and those who prefer not to reveal their preferred candidate add up to a whopping 32 per cent and 15 per cent respectively. The gender split of undecided voters shows that 39 per cent of women are undecided versus 27 per cent of male voters,” the poll stated.
In its immediate reaction to the counter poll, the Conference warned against attempts to deploy propaganda as a tool to de-market Obi, former Governor of Anambra State.
In a statement signed, by Rt Hon. Hassan Usman Algungu ( National Coordinator), Hon Dr Gabriel Ayodeji (National Secretary), as well as Hajiya Nana Tukur (Director of Women Mobilisation), the group said: “It has gotten to our notice of lies being peddled by some unscrupulous elements paid to install uncertainty, fear and discouragement targeted at misleading the general public by alleging that it is impossible for our leader Mr Peter Obi to secure 25% votes in at least two-thirds of states, as enshrined in the Constitution.
“For us, this amounts to a blatant lie told in the public domain by the same people who know the truth in their hearts of hearts that of the three top contenders, Mr Peter Obi has better chances of winning in more states over and above his counterparts.
“If the sole aim of this propaganda is not pure mischief and an attempt to swindle the public, since this is a political contest targeted at producing a single winner; wouldn’t it have been wiser to rather keep mute knowing your opponent is on a lane of failure?
“Peter Obi has really set the establishment off balance and they know he is closer to victory than them all.
“Hence, the resolve to resort to lies. We are very confident of his victory because we have done our homework and the result have started trickling in and soon it will be very obvious to even the blind that the narrative of ‘structure” and other campaigns of calumny has now been overtaken by events.
“Labour Party structure is growing stronger by the day and even at that with other arrangements we’ve put on the ground the party’s effort is but a bonus”.
It added: “We have deliberately and strategically set up committed foot soldiers across every nook and cranny of Nigeria including the Northern part of the country comprising men and women of capacity, capable of delivering.
“Peter Obi as it stands now will comfortably secure more than the 25% constitutional requirement in 14 states out of the 19 states that formed the northern part of Nigeria while we have the 5 remaining states in the North under steady reinforcement. With God on our side we shall dimistify the mystery responsible for Bad Governance in Nigeria 2023.
“To the teaming responsible members of our society and supporters of the Obidient movement and labour party, we urge you to remain steadfast and resolute in your support for Peter Obi and the new Nigeria project as he remains the only candidate with clear programs and implementation templates to take Nigeria out of this quagmire.”