Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The immediate-past Senate Minority Leader and the Senator representing Abia South, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has said that the emergence of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has re-awakened the interest of many Nigerians in the political process and the 2023 general election.
Senator Abaribe who stated this as keynote speaker at the inaugural Ikengaonline monthly town hall virtual meeting Thursday, said the Obi phenomenon was a revolution in the country’s electoral system.
He explained that a lot of youths and Nigerians from across the different geo-political zones who had lost interest in the political system were suddenly developing interest in the process and actually want to be counted.
The four-term Senator observed that Obi was frustrated out of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, just like himself who also had to dump the PDP for the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, but noted with delight that progressive Nigerians who want a new and better country are now rallying support for him.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that Obi has galvanized interests of people not just in Igboland but across other geo-political zones. He has revolutionalised the system. People are now saying let’s now go and vote.
“People who had lost interest before are now showing interest in voting.
“Though I’m in a different party, the truth is that it will be difficult for me to say don’t vote for Obi. In fact, some parties have already adopted him. They tell people, for President, vote for Obi, and then for other positions vote our party.”
He said that the political cabal in the country never envisaged eruption of the Obi phenomenon, but added that the movement is massive and growing.
“People are fed up with the old system and they want a breath of fresh air.
They have seen Obi as somebody that will bring the fresh air and that is why they are rallying behind him.
“If he wins it will be a paradigm shift to the system.”
Abaribe who is the APGA candidate for the Abia South senatorial contest in 2023, also noted that the introduction of new technology by the electoral umpire, had also helped to boost people’s confidence in the electoral system.
“People at a time lost interest but INEC’s introduction of new technology has rekindled people’s hope and confidence that their votes will count.”
Senator Abaribe while responding to a question on why it is difficult for the Igbo political class irrespective of their party leanings to galvanize support for Obi said that while it might not be possible to force everybody into one party, it had become obvious that Nigerians now know they have an opportunity of voting for somebody who can bring change and good governance.
