Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, appears to be battling some trouble in his backyard.
Sentry gathered that the leadership and members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have resolved to work against his ambition. The candidate and his men were very optimistic of cornering the support of APGA, a party with sizeable followership in the Southeast, especially in Obi’s home state of Anambra.
It would be recall that his camp recently erupted in wild jubilation following reports that Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, had endorsed the candidature of the LP presidential hopeful. The story broke after a meeting between the governor and members of APGA in the state.
Rumours had it that Soludo ordered the party faithful to work for Obi. But his Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, was quick to deny the reports, saying that Obi was never a topic of discussion during the routine gathering, claiming that only issues concerning APGA were discussed.
Sentry gathered that the denial became necessary following widespread displeasure expressed by some leading chieftains of APGA about the story. “Many of them were displeased at the thought of having to work for Obi, a man many of them claimed worked hard to destroy the party after riding on its crest to be governor for eight years. He fought the man he imposed on us as governor, fought the party, worked hard to destroy the party and then dumped APGA for the PDP unceremoniously,” an APGA chieftain said.
Such mood among APGA chieftains in Anambra spells nothing but trouble for the LP candidate.
The National Coordinator, APGA Media Warriors Forum, Chinedu Obigwe, confirmed the looming trouble for Obi during the week when he revealed that the party will work against Obi largely because of APGA candidates.
“We have candidates for various positions and LP has candidates too. It is in the best interest of APGA faithful to work against Obi in favour of APGA candidates. APGA remains committed to working in favour of all its candidates in the elections. So, as it is, if anybody is expecting APGA to work in favour of the former Anambra State governor such a person is dwelling in self-deceit and living in fool’s paradise,” he said.
Defending why working against Obi was in the best interest of APGA, Obigwe added: “I hate being sentimental on important issues and like saying the raw truth without minding whose ox is gored. Our self-acclaimed Saint Peter Obi as the Labour Party presidential candidate has nothing in common with APGA as a party and APGA faithful, because he is now a political enemy.”
If the positions canvassed by the APGA chieftain and his likes are anything to go by, Obi and his party will find it rough going at home in Anambra.
