Camp of the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 General Election, Dr Peter Obi, has fired back at Anambra-born businessman, Prince Arthur Eze, who had earlier Tuesday, poured cold water on the chances of the party’s flagbearer on the grounds that ‘he (Obi) cannot win; so that he would not waste his time and money.’
According to the Peter Obi Campaign Organisation, Prince Eze was part of the ‘rejected old establishment and structure which young Nigerians want to take our country back from.’
The grop further added that Eze’s comments were ’unfortunate but not unexpected.’
It would be recalled that Prince Eze had, Tuesday, distanced himself from the Peter Obi 2023 presidential ambitions on the grounds that the Labour Party (LP) candidate does not stand a chance of winning in the poll.
Eze, who made this known while speaking at the occasion of the 2022 Ofala festival of Igwe Robert Eze, the traditional ruler of Ukpo in Dunukofia local government area of the state, said he also asked Obi to ‘drop his ambition, and wait for next time.’
Obi is former Governor of the same Anambra State.
“I warned Peter Obi to withdraw from this race but he would not listen. I told him plainly that I am not part of his plans. I told him to drop his ambition, and wait for next time.
“When he told me about his ambition, I asked him the states he thinks he can win in the west and in the north, he told me; but I was not convinced. I told him he cannot win; so that he would not waste his time and money.
“I warned Peter Obi to withdraw from this race but he would not listen. I told him plainly that I am not part of his plans. I told him to drop his ambition, and wait for next time,” Eze said.
Obi is also a former Governor of Anambra State.
However, reacting to the comments credited to Prince Eze, spokesperson for the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, said the businessman remains ‘part of the establishment and structure that young Nigerians what to take our country back from,’ adding that this explains why he (Eze) is kicking against the ambition of the LP candidate.
According to the Peter Obi Organisation, when its candidate wins in the 2023 polls, ‘the likes of Arthur Eze would no longer wield any influence in the country.’
According to Diran Onifade, the Spokesperson for Peter Obi campaign group, the comments credited to Eze were ’unfortunate but not unexpected.’
“It is the influence of people like that that we want to take our politics away from.
“He is part of the establishment and structure that young Nigerians what to take our country back from.
“When we take power from the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, the likes of Arthur Eze will no longer wield the kind of influence they enjoy today.
“You don’t expect them to take this lying down. Our candidate and our campaign remain focused on the take ahead which is to take back our country, rebuild it to make it take its proper place in the comity of nations,” said Onifade.