The Peter Obi Support Network has kicked against the alleged move by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-rufai, to prevent a planned northern summit in support of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The group had planned a summit at the Arewa House in Kaduna State, billed to hold on July 19, 2022.
According to the group’s Spokesman, Comrade Sani Altukry, the summit is designed to interact with supporters of the presidential candidate and the running mate across the 19 northern states of the country.
Altukry had said that the summit was not a political campaign of any sort, but a converge of volunteers and would-be volunteers and supporters of the Obi-Datti project, for necessary interaction and cross-fertilisation of ideas.
But in a statement signed by Altukry, on Monday, the group said, El-Rufai, had instructed the Manager of Arewa House, not to allow them hold the summit at the venue, without giving any reason for his action.
The group said the event was initially billed to hold on July 19, 2022, at the popular Arewa House, Raba Road, Kaduna, Kaduna State, but the governor issued a directive cancelling the use of the venue after the group had paid for its use.
They said the instruction was conveyed to the manager of the venue through the governor’s spokesperson.
They said, “El-Rufai, through the spokesperson, called the Manager of Arewa House to notify the POSN spokesman that “we cannot have Peter/Datti Northern Summit in Arewa House,” less than 24 hours to the event.
“The governor failed to give any reason for turning down the group’s widely advertised use of the venue.”
The POSN further stated that El-rufai was too small to stop the “Peoples Movement” which Peter Obi represented, vowing not to succumb to intimidation aimed at suppressing the liberation of northern Nigeria from under-development and poverty.
The statement read partly, “We condemn the decision of the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-rufai to block the hosting of the northern summit for Peter Obi and Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Presidential candidate of Labour Party and his running mate at the Arewa House in the state.
“The decision of the governor is disheartening at the critical point in time when northern Nigerians are desperate for development and liberation from poverty due to maladministration.
“The governor of Kaduna State is intimidated by the rising profile of Peter Obi across the length and breadth of the country.
“The governor should know that this is a “Peoples Movement” which can never be stopped.
“The movement represents all oppressed Nigerians and everyone that desires good governance, and Governor El-rufai is too small to suppress it.”
