From Fred Itua, Abuja
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has tackled Chimaroke Nnamani to show proof of where he portrayed ethnic and religious bigotry.
Similarly, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) also flayed.
The representing Enugu East in the National Assembly, on Monday said Obi, has “set the Igbo political trajectory 24 years back.”
The former Anambra state governor who lost his senatorial return bid to the LP’s candidate, Kelvin Chukwu, on Sunday accused Obi of playing wicked and dangerous politics. Writing via his official Twitter handle on Monday, he alleged that Obi used the “message of hate, bile and incitement” to subjugate people of the south-east.
Responding, yesterday, Obi said he was the direct opposite of the picture painted by Nnamani boasting that he always champions issues-based campaigns.
“I find it very shocking that you had to label me as an ethnic and religious bigot and as one who indulges in a campaign of hatred. In this instance, I like to state unequivocally that I am the direct opposite of what you said in your statement and what my campaigns have been,” he said.
“I want to believe that my dear elder brother must have mistaken me for someone else because, in this campaign, I have consistently championed issues-based campaigns, and maintained so, even using illustrations and data to buttress my position, to the extent that I have been accused of using data wrongly and media houses had to create fact-check desks just to monitor and address issues I raised during campaigns.
“I have been on record to have insisted severally throughout the country that I should not be voted for based on any ethnic or religious link but to be considered based on character, character, capacity, and compassion. I have always respectfully requested that my track records & integrity be verified.
“I will also like to challenge anybody including, my dear elder brother to show anywhere in my public appearance where I in any way portrayed ethnic, or religious bigotry or where I called names, even when I came to campaign in Enugu state.”
Vice President General of Ohanaeze, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene said Nnamani’s upbraid of Obi was because of his shortsighted view on issues.
He regretted that the senator was still seeing Obi as an Igbo instead of a pan Nigerian whose politics has elevated and enriched the nation’s polity.
Also, flaying Nnamani, President General of COSEYL, Goodluck Ibem, expressed shock that one of those that held Igbo youths down was attacking Obi