Southern, Middle Belt leaders endorse Obi-Datti presidency

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) yesterday endorsed the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidature, Peter Obi and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed as their preferred candidate in the forthcoming presidential election.

The group had been in a dilemma to choose between the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Obi.

The group said it is against power remaining in the North after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari, thus shutting the main opposition party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar out of the equation.

SMBLF leaders took the decision at an extraordinary meeting in Abuja. The leaders of the group in attendance include the national leader of Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo; former president general of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo; Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; former Anambra State governor, Chief Chukwuwemeka Ezeife; leader of the Middle Belt Forum, Bitrus Pogu; a spokesman of the Obi-Datti campaign team, Dele Farotimi, and spokesman of PANDEF, Ken Robinson.

The chief convener, Chief Edwin Clark addressed the meeting via zoom. Each of the leaders took turns to commend their preferred candidate who they said is eminently qualified to run the affairs of the country.

A communique read at the end of the meeting by the Coordinator of the SMBLF, Chief John Nnia Nwodo said that the forum decided to endorse the Obi/Datti ticket and the LP because they represent the symbol of the mission to rescue Nigeria from imminent collapse.

According to the group, Obi is the kind of leader that Nigeria needs at this time given his track record.

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