Traders, youths, sympathisers and supporters of Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Saturday brought commercial activities to a lull in Lafia, Nasarawa State, as the party organised a One-Million-Man-March rally to register their support for the party and it’s presidential candidate.
Speaking, the State Chairman of the party, Alexander Emmanuel said the march was organised “to sensitise, and conscentise the people of the state on the need to elect credible leaders in the 2023 as well as send signal to other political parties who claimed that Labour party does 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 are ready to vote for the party’s candidates in the coming elections.
“I accepted the request of the support groups, business class, the youth and members from other parties to embark on this sensitisation rally because I want the people to understand 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”.
Commenting on the rally which drew participants from over eight Local Government Areas of the state, a business man in Lafia, Kenneth Otublu said that traders in the state closed their shops and forfeited all the gains to show their concern for Peter Obi.
According to Otublu, the suffering and hardship inflicted in the people as well as the rising insecurity on Nigerians has called for drastic change.
“This is why we have sacrifice today to come out and show our support, solidarity for Labour party and the presidential candidate Peter Obi.
“Nigerians must vote in 2023 fou our children to return to school, to crash the high cost of food items and other issues that will help Nigerians out of the hands of APC”.
On his part, Secretary of the Coalition of Peter Obi Candidacy Movement, Wilson Kingsley, said residents of the state were tired of the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government at the federal and state levels which was why they came out in their numbers to support the former Anambra state governor.
Wilson said, 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, have all pledged their support for Peter Obi.
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”.