Labour Party’s Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, has denied the allegations of ethno-religious bigotry leveled against him by Senator Chimaroke Nnamani. In a statement released on Monday, Nnamani accused Obi of using ethnic and religious sentiments to win the presidency and exploiting the country’s fault lines to advance his personal cause.
Nnamani, who lost his re-election bid to a candidate of the Labour Party, also accused Obi of other infractions. However, Obi responded to Nnamani’s allegations in a letter addressed to him, stating that the facts on the ground do not support or justify the claims.
Obi expressed surprise that his elder brother, Nnamani, would make such unfounded allegations against him despite his respectful approach towards him. Obi emphasized that he had always championed an issues-based campaign and maintained so, using illustrations and data to support his position.
Obi stated that throughout the country, he had insisted that people should not vote for him based on any ethnic or religious link but should consider his character, capacity, and compassion. He respectfully requested that his track record and integrity be verified.
Obi challenged anyone, including Nnamani, to point out anywhere in his public appearances where he portrayed ethnic or religious bigotry or called anyone names. He also disputed Nnamani’s claim that he made the statement “Lagos is no man’s land,” attributed to Igbos. Obi emphasized that he received more votes from non-Igbos in Lagos, Abuja, and other parts of Nigeria.
Obi also questioned why Igbos should be chased away from where they are living and making tangible contributions to development, even if they voted for him. He considered Nnamani’s allegations to be a case of giving a dog a bad name just to hang it.
In conclusion, Obi maintained his respect for Nnamani, despite the allegations, and stated that he would continue to campaign on issues that matter to Nigerians
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