The Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his supporters have exchanged words over his supporters’ insult to the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.
Newsonline reports that while the former governor of Anambra State admonished his supporters known as Obidients to desist from name-calling and insult of other presidential candidates, the supporters said they are in the “vawulence department’, a word which they take as the new spelling of violence.
The Labour Party presidential candidate who has the youths as his support base following his appealing quality of integrity, character and competence, called on his supporters to support and uphold an issue-based campaign in engaging other candidates.
Peter Obi particularly condemned the calling of the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom whom he described as a good man and patriotic citizen as a deceit. He reminded his obidient supporters that like all persons, he too has imperfections.
In a statement on Saturday Peter Obi said, “I called on the Labour Party Faithfuls, especially candidates at all levels, including my supporters, to desist from name calling or derogating anyone, groups of persons or religions.
“Nigeria has very huge problems and is currently at risk of implosion from economic hardship and insecurity. The focus, therefore, should be on how to deal with deleterious consequences of a tanking economy, pervasive insecurity, and the many challenges that the nation is contending with, rather than degenerating into name-calling.”
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He added, “specifically, during our recent campaign in Benue, a candidate referred to the Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom, as a “deceit.” That is totally unacceptable to us.
“The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, remains a very patriotic Nigerian, who has always spoken for the best interest of his people and Nigeria in general. We all have our shortcomings, I have mine, and so do others. But, we should not refer to people in such derogatory manner We must continue to focus on running an issue-based campaign, and unite with everyone to build a new and better Nigeria.”
His supporters, obidients, who claim to be in the ‘vawulence department’ a corrupt spelling of violence department’ of the campaign for his ascension into the presidency in 2023 election, said they would not back down on those they claimed want to tarnish his image.
Peter Obi supporters who took to the comment section of his Twitter handle specifically told the former governor of Anambra State, to focus on an issue-based campaign while they focus on those that attack him.
A tweep, Porloh Ugozy, wrote, “My incoming president, no worry leave the vawulence Dept for us. Their father no reach.”
Marcel Rex, tweeted an indirect reference to the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, who is accused to have engaged in heroin trafficking in the US. “We will not call anyone bad names, especially that nice elder that is having narcotics case in the US,” he wrote.
Another tweep, Vivian called on Peter Obi to rest and leave the Twitter street for his supporters, saying “We just started… this country must good. Rest sir, we’re the one running through you. Everybody must get sense.”
