By Adadareporters
The Ohanaeze Youth Council, Monday, said the increase in voter registration ahead of the 2023 general elections was prompted by Mr Peter Obi’s presidential bid.
Mr Obi is the presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
This was disclosed by the national president of the group, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka.
Igboayaka said the ‘already long dead interest of most Nigerians in the nation’s politics has suddenly been rekindled by the declaration of Mr Peter Obi’.
Quoting him, “This is evident with the influx of persons into INEC offices in the quest for the permanent voters’ cards in readiness for the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
“Mr Obi has gained the massive support of citizens across the various regions of the country, hence the party currently poses a serious threat to all other opposition parties, including the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.”
He noted that Mr Peter Obi’s entrance into the race caused massive voters’ registration in the country.
Recounting voter aparthy over the years, Igboayaka lamented that INEC had, over the years, spent billions of naira on voter education and sensitisation, yet with little or no positive response from the masses.
He said, “Mr Peter Obi’s candidature gave birth to a large turnout of voter registration within a short period.
“It’s truism that 2022 voter registration has recorded more voter registration than 2014, 2010, 2006 and 2002.
“Mr Obi’s entrance in 2023 presidential race has achieved in three months what INEC couldn’t achieve in twenty-four years.”
He added, “The 2023 presidential election has exposed Nigerians, particularly the youth that there only two political parties in Nigeria, the oppressed and the oppressors. APC and PDP are the oppressors while the oppressed are Labour Party and other political parties.”
Igboayaka said APC and PDP ‘are the core enemies of the Southeast, having denied the region the deserved right to produce their presidential candidates’.
The council, therefore, vowed to ensure that the two main parties would not enjoy the benefits of southeasterners in the general elections.
According to him, “Our common enemies in 2023 election are APC and PDP, and to unchain ourselves and future children from political and economic slavery is a task we must fulfill by ensuring that APC and PDP will not win one seat in Southeast.
“Like APC and PDP humiliated Southeast presidential aspirants, we must reciprocate such wickedness towards them, as a litmus test to show how dissatisfied Southeastners are over these parties. This we must do to send a signal that ‘No party’ will toy with Ndigbo and go scot-free.”
