2023: Opinion polls predicting Obi’s victory will lead to post-election violence - APC

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, APC-PCC, has berated sponsors of opinion polls who projected Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, as winner of Saturday presidential election, accusing them of preparing ground for post-election anarchy. Director of strategic communication of the APC-PCC, Dele Alake, who stated this at a press conference Wednesday in Abuja, said the Labour Party does not have a pathway to victory in the coming election.

Alake said the race to the presidential villa is between Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the APC, and Atiku Abubakar, standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said opinion polls such as ANAP/ NOI and Nextier are creating grounds for unrest, and have given Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the LP, false hope.

“There is no evidence and reality on ground anywhere in Nigeria as far as the presidential election is concerned that supports Mr. Obi winning this election,” h said.

“The Labour Party has no pathway to victory.

“This presidential election is going to be a straight contest between the candidates of APC and PDP and from more studious and rational polling, our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is coasting home to victory despite the current challenges in the implementation of the currency swap and fuel scarcity that have caused some difficulties for almost all Nigerians regardless of social and economic status.

“We particularly find amusing the ANAP/ NOI and Nextier polls that predicted Mr. Obi as the winner or preferred candidate to win the presidential election. We have had cause to alert the security agencies to keep these pollsters under watch because their intention is to prepare ground for unrest by giving false hope of winning to Mr. Obi’s motley crowd of supporters who have a predilection for violence with the way they bully, harass, intimidate and insult anyone who thinks differently from them.”

Alake said Tinubu has redefined the template of presidential campaigns in the country.

“Our campaign introduced town hall interactive sessions into this campaign to take our message directly to the people across various sectors and segments of the society,” he said.

“In so doing, Asiwaju Tinubu and Senator Shettima took their programmes to the people. They used the opportunity of the interactive sessions to directly share their plans and visions with the electorate and align those with the people’s own desire and aspirations.”

Meanwhile, a support group of APC under the auspices of Tinubu) Shettima Grassroots Independent Campaign Council has promised to give Asiwaju a minimum of five million votes in the presidential election.

Speaking at a press conference Wednesday to give account of the stewardship of the council in the last couple of months, National Coordinator of TSGICC, Silas Agara said: “am particularly excited to reveal that our structure is in every of the 1,776,974 polling uni ts. We are in every ward of all states in the country.

“I am extremely delighted to reveal the structu res we have in place nationwide have assure dus of a minimum of five million (5,000,000) votes for our presidential ticket.

“We optimistic that the over ten thousand (10, 000) Tinubu and Shettima registered support groups with the TSGICC have the potentials of delivering additional twenty seven million votes (27,000,000)!

“We have also Set up a ‘situation room and ‘call centres’ to monitor the election process and outcome in real time.

“Gentlemen of the press, finally let me seize this opportunity to call on all supporters of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remain calm and law abiding as we approach the zero hour.

“We firmly believe that our party and candidates have a date with history. Both are making his tory. Lets join hands with all progressive elements to take the nation to a new higher level.”

2023: NLC endorses Peter Obi for President

By Christiana Ekpa

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has endorsed the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi for President.

The union also called on workers across the country to Vote for the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election which comes up on Saturday.

This was contained in a statement signed by Comrade Chris Uyot, the National Secretary, NLC National Political Commission, President: Joseph Ajaero, General Secretary: Emmanuel Ugboaja and Treasurer: Abali Akeem Olatunji

The statement reads in part, “All Labour Political Committee members in the states are to intensify their work in mobilising workers and the Nigerian people both at the local, ward and polling units to vote for the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi and all candidates of the Labour Party contesting the elections.

The political committees are also enjoined to work with our allies in civil society organisations and students to take all necessary steps to safeguard the people’s votes by ensuring that the electoral process is transparent, free and fair.

NLC called on workers in Local government, wards and polling unit levels to ensure that they provide at least 10 ward coordinators and canvassers to not only mobilise but defend the peoples votes.

The NLC said that Saturday’s polls promise to be the most decisive in the history of the country.

Peter Obi was at the International Conference Centre on Wednesday where all the presidential candidates of all the 18 political parties came together to sign National Peace Accord