- ‘It shows APC’s jittery over Obi’s rising profile’
Governor Nasir El-rufai has come under heavy criticism for the denial by Kaduna government of the usage of Arewa House in the state capital for a planned summit of the Peter Obi Support Network (PSON).
The frontline support group had unveiled plans to hold a summit specifically designed to interact with supporters of the frontline presidential candidate across the 19 Northern states of the country.
POSN berated the governor for his act of political intolerance while noting that the Arewa House is a public property and not El-rufai’s personal building.
The state government had on Monday prevented the planned Northern Summit of the POSN in Kaduna. The summit was to further build support base for Obi ahead of the 2023 election.
The Governor was said to have ordered the denial through his spokesperson who allegedly called the Manager of Arewa House to notify POSN spokesman that “we cannot have Peter/Datti Northern Summit in Arewa House”, less than 24 hours to the event.
The state government, however, failed failed to give further reason for turning down the group’s widely advertised use of the venue.
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Comrade Sani Saeed Altukry, Spokesman, Peter Obi Support Network (POSN) told newsmen that the summit is not a political campaign of any sorts, but a converge of volunteers and would-be volunteers and supporters of the Obi-Datti project, for necessary interaction and cross-fertilization of ideas.
“The event was initially billed to hold on the 19th of July 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,” he said.
POSN further stated that Governor is too small to stop the “Peoples Movement” which Peter Obi represents vowing not to succumb to intimidation aimed at suppressing the liberation of northern Nigeria from under-development and poverty.
The statement reads, “we condemn the decision of the Governor of Kaduna state to block the hosting of the Northern Summit for Peter Obi and Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) 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, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, 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 is too small to suppress it.”
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