Labour Party vice presidential candidate Datti Baba-Ahmed has urged political parties to focus on issue-based campaigns rather than engage in defaming others for publicity ahead of the 2023 general elections. The Labour Party presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi continues to enjoy popularity amongst registered voters, and opposing parties have turned their propaganda machine on discrediting his candidacy. Baba-Ahmed said that the acts of insulting and defaming others were violations of the peace accord signed by political parties. “Obi is a two term governor and a former Vice-Presidential Candidate before he moved to the LP, as the Presidential Candidate enjoying tremendous goodwill and overwhelming support of the people. “In the squabble for second and third positions, some erstwhile major political parties appear to have crossed the boundaries of decency to transgress our peaceful activities and our focus on political schedules. “On Sept. 29 an eminent group of statesmen under the aegis of the National Peace Committee, brought together all the Presidential Candidates to sign a Peace Accord, which represents an agreed code of conduct for the 2023 Presidential Election. “It is unfortunate that in spite of the noble objectives of this initiative, disinformation and misinformation about the LP and its candidates have become fashionable in this election season,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed added: “Recently, for example, there was a false narrative being spread nationwide that Mr Peter Obi is against the production of oil in the north; nothing could be farther from the truth.” He said that Obi declared his commitment to exploit the same as a visionary transformational leader for the overwhelming benefit of the Nigerian people. “To the architect of ‘consumption to production’, oil in the North means more revenue for development, more jobs and opportunities,” he said. Baba-Ahmed said that earlier attempts to discredit the Obi’s candidacy through fabricated allegations of demolition of mosques, internal deportation of Northerners, issuance of ID cards to northerners and ethic hostilities were all conclusively proven to be false and without basis.He said the 2023 election would be different as the Nigerian electorate were increasingly becoming aware of the dangers of ethnic and religious politics; a fact that caused anxiety, frustration, and desperation with political actors of the old order. “The ObiDient Movement under Labour Party will continue to remain faithful to founding principles and the Signed Peace Accord and we equally invite all stake-holders to emulate. “The next few weeks will see an escalation of election activity. I urge all who have not yet collected their PVCs, to do so without delay, and to follow through, to identify their polling booths, vote and defend their votes,” he said.
