By Henry Umoru

LEADERS of thoughts, elder statesmen from four of the six geo-political zones of the country, under the aegis of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF led by South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark have  endorsed the Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi as their candidate for 25th February  Presidential election.

The leaders said that  they would work assiduously to ensure Peter Obi emerged the President come February 25, 2023, just as they urged Nigerians to join them in realizing the dream of making Obi the next President.

The decision was taken at the end of the Extraordinary meeting of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum yesterday at the Wells Carlton Hotel & Apartments, Asokoro,  Abuja, where they warned that those trying to derail the 2023 election that they would rise like one-man in defense of the ballot box.

The leaders of SMBLF are made up of  the Middle- Belt, Ndi- Igbo( Ohaneaze, Afenifere, Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF.

The meeting was attended by Chief Edwin Clark, leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum; Pa Ayo Adebanjo (Afenifere); Dr. Bitrus Porgu, (President of the Middle Belt Forum) and John Nwodo, representing the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, former Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Amb. Ozone Nwobi; Chief Kofoworola Bucknor- Akerele; Chief Cornelius Adebayo; Prof. Charles Nwekeaku; Amb. Godknows Igali; Oba Oladipo Olaitan; Dame Betty Igbeyi; Mrs Ifeoma Agbomah; Prof. Ihechukwu Madubuike and Prof. ABC Nwosu

Others are Hon. Ken Robinson; Dr. Simon Okeke; Dr. Stella Dorgu; Amb. Orjiako Umunna; Charles Oputa( Charly Boy); Chief Sola Ebiseni; Dele Farotimi; High Chief Denzil Kentebe; CP. Iorbee Ihagh rtd; Hon. Sarah Fototri; Amb. Eddy Onuoh; HRH Ezeh Nwosu Ibeh; Amb. Okey Emuchary, among others.

The Communique at the end of the meeting was read by the immediate past President General of the umbrella body of Ndigbo Worldwide, the Ohanaeze, Chief John Nnia Nwodo.

Reading the Communique on behalf of SMBLF, the former Minister of Information,  Nwodo who noted  that all members of the various groups support the aspiration of Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed as President and vice presidential candidates of the Labour Party, said that they would work assiduously in their various constituencies to promote the objectives and ensure that it was realized for the betterment of Nigeria.

According to  Nwodo, they would rise to  work assiduously in their various constituencies to promote the objectives and ensure that it is realized for the betterment of Nigeria.

Reading the  Communique, Nwodo said, “That we give our unalloyed vote of thanks to our father and leader chief Edwin Clark for his boldness, his sagacity, his tenacity and his relentlessness in pursuing the aims and aspirations of this organization.

“That we warn all those who wants to change thehands of the clock of Nigeria by doing anything that will derail a peaceful transition to the next Civilian government of this country, that we shall rise like one-man in defense of the ballot box and that Nigerians must go to vote.

“This we have resolved today and we enjoin other Nigerians who do not belong to our organization to join usin realizing this for the betterment of Nigeria.

“Peter Obi is your Son and he is the rock upon which Nigeria will stand.”

Speaking earlier before the Communique, Adebanjo said, ” The battle is on. We are in a war and our opponents are not sleeping at all. They’ve underrated us in the past but they are now seeing the stuff we are made of now.

“They are making all sorts of devices to ensure that power remains in a particular part of the country. That’s why they are not even supporting the candidate of their own party.

“You are fighting for your freedom. Don’t joke with your freedom. Don’t be deceived. They are not going to organise any election. We are fighting to get out of slavery and bondage.

“We all living in denials. Even among the Igbo. The impunity is too much and you don’t want those who are dissatisfied to leave the country.

“Obi’s phenomenon is not just about Labour Party. LP is now like NADECO. Obi Is leading the crusade to get us out of bondage of serious oppression.

“They don’t want to leave office. I’m saying it openly here. It is not a joke that they want to scuttle the election. You must be prepared for post election.

“We will give it what it takes. It is either bend or break. If Obi does not win, forget a country called Nigeria.

“If we lose this election, there will be no opportunity for a non Christian, a non Northerner to be president again.

“Right now they are planning to vote for Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party by jettisoning their candidate in the Labour Party. 

“They want another northerner to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari. How they want to do it, I don’t know but we must all be prepared for a war.

” Have it at the back of your mind that Obi must be declared president. Anything contrary to this, we should forget about Nigeria. “

Nwodo prior to the Communique had said that “election is no longer a bazaar in which you characterise the conscience of our people, sharing Ill gotten wealth, it is now a task using your brain to determine your future.

“What ever wrong the head of state had done in the past, this one has mitigated it. Our resolution, we agree with everything that our leader has said. Let us go home and popularise it, let’s go into the trenches and work to bring the soul of Nigeria and save the future of our children.”

On his part, an Afenifere delegate, Dele Farotimi said, “We know when it’s our turn, and we do not require anybody to tell us when it’s our turn. When a man presumes to arrogate to himself what belongs to all members, it is not emi lokan , it is awa lokan, it is the turn of all of us, whether you are part of PANDEF, a Yoruba man, a Hausa man, a Fulani or a kanuri for that matter,  it is either Nigeria belongs to all of us or it doesn’t belong anybody. 

“This time around, it is a thing of joy and great pride, we have been coordinating to support a man that we can actually stand behind, follow and say yes, this is our own and not one of those thieves masquerading as saints.”