As the 2023 general election draws near, no fewer than 35,000 residents of Nasarawa state have declared their support for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
Speaking at a town hall meeting with stakeholders of the Labour party and leaders of various support groups for Peter Obi on Saturday in Lafia, the State Chairman of the party, Alexander Emmanuel, said the people of the state were tired with the misrule of the All Progressives Congress-led government both at the national and state levels which was why they decided to support the Labour party in 2023.
Emmanuel explained that the 35,000 supporters of the party were members of 27 registered support groups across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.
He revealed that the party in partnership with the support groups, would hold a one-million-man march on August 6th, 2022, to sensitise other residents of the state to vote for Peter Obi and other candidates of the party in the 2023 general election.
He said, “As we speak today, Nigeria is in a serious dilemma. We are faced with the problem of existential threats. The Nigerian nation has plunged into the multifarious problems of insecurity, unemployment, electricity blackout, comatoes economy, civic stress and widespread poverty.
“These problems are not natural; They are man-made. The past and present managers of our common heritage brought the country to her knees, and brought us to the pitiable state we find ourselves today.
“In 2023, Nigeria needs a leader that will turn things around for the better, and I make bold to say that among the presidential candidates of all the political parties, it is only Peter Obi that has what it takes to move the nation forward.
“But Obi cannot do it alone. He needs our collective support to be able to emerge as President in 2023, so I am urging all residents of Nasarawa state to join us in this struggle for a better Nigeria.”
One of the coordinators of the support groups, Wilson Kingsley, who spoke on behalf of the others, said they had perfected plans to embark on a door-to-door sensitisation campaign across the 13 LGAs of the state, as soon as campaigns officially begin.
While appealing to other residents of the state to support Peter Obi’s ambition, he expressed confidence that the Labour party presidential candidate and other candidates of the party will emerge victorious in the 2023 elections.
Earlier in her remark, the National Deputy Chairman of the party, Ladi Iliya,urged residents of the state who were yet to get their Permanent Voter Cards, to register before the closing date on July 31st, 2022, in order to be able to exercise their franchise in 2023.
“The challenges confronting Nigeria are numerous because we do not have good leaders in office. Our universities have been closed for many months now but they are not worried because their children go to other countries to study. It is so sad that we have such leaders occupying political offices.
“But I am happy that the Independent National Electoral Commission has assured us that our votes will count in 2023. So, I am urging all Nigerians who are yet to get their Permanent Voter Cards, to do so immediately in order for us to vote-in credible leaders into office in the coming elections”, she said.