Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, has reacted to remarks made by Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) 2023 presidential contender, saying the “labour of our heroes past is all in vain.”
Akpabio suggested that before attempting to become president of Nigeria, Obi should first address the internal problems in his “small party”.
Akpabio made his comments on Thursday at the farewell ceremony for Chief Edwin Clark, the late former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader.
He claimed that Obi lacked the moral authority to lead a bigger, more complicated nation like Nigeria if he is unable to resolve the current issue inside the Labour Party.
Obi lauded “Clark’s life of courage, sacrifice, and value” in his tribute on Wednesday during the Chief Clark memorial lecture and day of tribute in Abuja.
The sacrifices made by previous leaders like General Gowon and former President Jonathan were in vain, he added, expressing concern over the current situation in Nigeria.
Obi compared the large-scale demonstrations over comparable concerns during Jonathan’s tenure with the lack of rallies in response to the latest increases in fuel prices.
In addition, he attacked the Nigerian government, saying that it lacks democracy, and bemoaned the charge that he was “demonising” the nation by criticising it.
Akpabio responded by saying, “How can you tackle the Boko Haram situation or other significant national concerns if you can’t resolve the crisis within the Labour Party?
Additionally, he used the occasion to emphasise his accomplishments as a previous governor.
He said, “I can proudly speak about the dualised thoroughfares in my city, the international hospitals, and the digitalised governor’s offices.
“I also initiated free and compulsory education and worked towards religious unity by sponsoring over 5,800 Muslims and over 12,000 to 15,000 Christians on pilgrimages to Rome and Jerusalem.”
While social media can be a vehicle for communication, Akpabio said in closing that it is mostly unregulated and frequently used to sow discord.
Before concentrating on the national stage, he advised Obi and other presidential candidates to settle their party’s problems.
