A coalition of 56 support groups across the 13 Local Government Areas of Nasarawa state on Saturday held a one-million-man march in solidarity and support for the 2023 Labour party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The groups, with a numerical strength of one million, marched from the College of Agriculture junction along Jos road to the U-turn linking the Lafia main market along Makurdi road, carrying several inscriptions which indicated their love and support for Obi.
Secretary of the coalition, Wilson Kingsley, said residents of the state were tired of the misrule of the All Progressives Congress-led government at the federal and state levels, which was why they came out in their numbers to support the former Anambra state governor.
He mentioned the support groups to include Peter Obi Candidacy Movement, Women for Peter Obi, Peter Obi Support Network, Peter Obi Ambassadors, Like Minds for Peter Obi, TakeBackNaija, Nigeria Needs Peter Obi, Peter Obi movement for President, Associates of Peter Obi, among others.
He said, “These one million supporters are those who belong to the registered 56 groups across the 13 LGAs of the state. We are not campaigning at the moment because the Independent National Electoral Commission have not given a go-ahead. What we are doing today is a march to declare our support for Mr. Peter Obi.
“We are supporting him because we believe that he has the capacity and ability to take Nigeria to greater heights. We are tired of all the politicians who deceive us every election year, telling us that they will provide good governance but they never fulfill their promises.
“The present government have completely failed the citizens. They promised to provide security and ensure stability for our economy but everyone can see what Nigeria has become. Everything in the market have increased in price but the salary of workers did not increase.
“Our children have been at home for almost six months now because universities are on strike but our leaders are not bothered about the situation because their children do not attend Nigerian schools. We are really tired of bad governance, so we are ready to effect a positive change in the country in 2023 using our permanent voter cards.”
On his part, the State Chairman of Labour Party, Alexander Emmanuel, said the one-million-man march was held to sensitise the people of the state on the need to elect credible leaders in the 2023 elections, and to prove a point to other political parties who had alleged that the Labour party did not have a structure.
He expressed confidence that the party will win the 2023 presidential election and all elective positions in Nasarawa state, adding that, the residents were tired of bad governance and were ready to vote for the party’s candidates in the coming elections.
“I accepted the request of the support groups to embark on this sensitisation rally because I want the people to understand the need why they should elect credible leaders into office in 2023, and it is also to prove a point to other political parties who always say that our supporters are only on the social media.
“They usually say that our party do not have a structure but what I understand by the word structure, is the people. We are not worried about whatever they are saying because we have the people with us. In 2023, many of these bad leaders will be shocked because Nigerians are ready and waiting for them with their permanent voter cards,” the LP Chairman said.
(Punch)