Labour party Vice Chairman,Chief Okeke Dismisses Arthur Eze’s Comment Against Obi, Says ‘Idea Whose Time Has Come Can Not Be Caged’

The National Vice Chairman Southeast of Labour Party (LP), Chief Innocent Okeke has described the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi as a “phenomenonal”.

He also said Obi is an idea that is being directed by the divine phenomenon and propelled by people’s organic reactions and movement.

Okeke stated this in a statement issued on Sunday, January 1, 2023, titled, THE IDEA WHO’S TIME HAS COME CAN NOT BE CAGED.”

In the passionately-worded statement, Okeke was reacting to the recent comments credited to a prominent businessman and Anambra indigene, Prince Arthur Eze.

Eze had, last Monday, distanced himself from the presidential ambition of Obi. Eze said he was not part of Obi’s aspiration because he had seen that the former Anambra State governor could not win votes in the southwest and the north.

The businessman made the comments in the presence of the state governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, traditional rulers, women groups, and other prominent people of the state, during the Ofala festival of his Ukpo community, in Anambra.

He said he had already warned Obi to withdraw from the presidential race but the candidate refused to listen.

Eze said when the time is right, stakeholders in the southeast would back Soludo.

But, reacting, Okeke said it should be said to whoever cares to listen that it is no longer going to be the “dictator’s world or a narrow exclusive circle or group dictating who becomes president in Nigeria.”

According to him, Chief Arthur Eze, Prof Soludo, and whoever wants to play God against “this divine mandate” to rethink.

The LP chieftain’s message reads, “We want to respect the personal opinion of any individual including that of Chief Arthur Eze ( the Ozigbo Ndu) and any other person with different opinions. But what we can not accept is unfriendly outbursts and intimidation.

“The message to whoever cares to listen is that the next new Nigeria is never going to be business as usual. The moment people begin to adapt, the better. It has been a country between the far-rich and extremely poor masses. They destroyed the middle class and made the poor masses ordinary slaves.

“If our highly respected Chief Arthur Eze should go by his adopted name “OZIGBO NDU”  I would have expected him to feel pain when his people are feeling it. The pain in present Nigeria is a general one and everyone is crying for a genuine change.

“We can understand his personal business interests and effort to remain big, but he has been big from youth till this age, is time to feel the pain of others and sacrifice luxury for a better future.

“Peter Gregory Obi is an Anambrarian just like some of you, what is the general opinion of the people of Anambra on Peter Obi’s presidential ambition and not the opinion of two or three persons.”

Continuing, Okeke noted that all the presidential polls in recent times across the country have put Obi well above other contenders, adding that such is the position of Nigerians.

“If not the old thinking of many of you with deep pockets who have amassed wealth to seek the option of rigging elections, the voice and opinions of the masses will reign supreme,” the LP VC added.

“I will advise, no insult, keep your opinion to yourself, don’t destabilise the system. Allow a new Nigeria to emerge it will benefit your kindred, community, your state, and all Nigerians.”

In a belated news some time ago the LP VC also critized Soludo over his outburst against Obi.

He noted that the respect the people of Southeast have for Soludo is fast diminishing.

According to him, the Anambra governor is highly respected and adored by Ndi Igbo as one of the shining lights and great academia from the highly rich culture of the Igbo great kingdom.

“But just like the story of the crumbling packs, Professor Soludo has started somersaulting from his pinnacle of dignity and respect,  falling short of the expectations of the people who looked up to him to be a shining example of the new Igbo leader,” Chief Okeke stated.

“To be an outstanding leader, you must first learn to subdue your parochial attachment to your interests. embrace Selfless representations and overall defender of the general views.

“In this case, Soludo, an astute professor of high repute allowed his narrow-minded nature to betray him.

“Hate is a wicked state of mind that when possessed can becloud one’s normal sense of reasoning. And this is exactly what played out in Prof. Soludo’s unreasonable outburst on Peter Obi’s Anambra government investment in 2014.

“Soludo through his hate for Peter Obi was quick to forget that the investment and the fiscal savings came together. The incontrovertible fact remains that Obi saved for the future of his state (Anambra) N75b naira, $50m in each of the three existing commercial banks of today, and 3.5b in the international brewery. 

“He handed over this investment to a new manager (governor), who has never denied knowledge of the investments.  Whether the manager (governor) took good care of the investment is another day’s discussion. And the former handed over to Soludo, now Soludo casting aspersions on Mr. Obi after 9 years he left office with verifiable savings and investment is uncalled for and condemnable by the entire Igbo race and Nigeria at large.

“The international brewery as we know it today employing 10,000 Anambrarians is not a bad investment and the depreciation of stocks is a Nigerian issue that has affected every company’s stock.”

The LP chief argued that Soludo should have employed the wisdom of silence even “if he so much hated Mr. Obi, but for the sake of the Nigerian project stand with the mass of the people.”