Africa
By Kennedy Nnamani
THE Obi-Datti Support Forum has enjoined all Igbos residing outside the South East to stay put anywhere they reside and ignore rumours of war and attacks, meant to sabotage their votes in favour of the presidential candidates they support.
The group made this known in a statement issued at the weekend, noting that the rumours of war and attack are geared towards putting fear in the Igbos to flee back to South East before election and then return after the elections when they will be unable to cast their votes.
Referring to the latest release from INEC which shows that the total Igbo population nationwide with PVCs is 36,006,262, the group, expressed optimism that if well-coordinated, the Igbo nation including the Igbo of Rivers, Anioma, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Edo, Kogi, Benue, and the very few in Bayelsa can alone produce the president of Nigeria.
The group cited the number of INEC registered voters of the Igbo people with PVCs as follows:
“S/E Igbo with PVCs Residents – 10,574,956 ;
“S/E Igbo with PVCs resident in the 19 Northern States + Abuja – 12,800,226 ; (27%)
“S/E Igbo with PVCs resident in South-South – 6,125,525 (43%)
“S/E Igbo with PVCs resident in the South West – 6,505,555 (36%)”
The figures above prompted the Obi-Datti Support Forum to state that “One can see that the Igbo of the South-East with PVCS nationwide are the highest in voter strength and spread.”
“We’re our own problems. It’s for us to harness these and put them to effective use for our benefit and those of our children. We can’t allow these our friends to put fear and doubt into us and posterity,” the group remarked.
Encouraging the south-east voters, the group said: “We have to speak boldness into South Easterners. Make them understand that he who fights and runs away will live to fight another day. We don’t have to die many times before our death. Death will come when it will”.
The Obi-Datti Forum added that “It is very critical. That’s the only way 25% in 36 states will be possible.”
KN
Tags: Obi-Datti Support Forum
