I respect Peter Obi, I never called his supporters saboteurs ― Ihedioha

The former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha has declared that he has the utmost respect for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi describing him as a friend with whom he shares close political affinity.

Ihedioha reacting to the criticism over his recent comment that he called supporters of Mr Peter Obi saboteur in a statement in Owerri on Thursday through his media aide, Chibuike Onyeukwu, described it as inconceivable that he will do such.

Hon. Emeka Ihedioha on the invitation of his kinsmen was in Accra, Ghana for the celebration of this year’s Iri Ji festival with the Mbaise community in that country where he was quoted as saying that supporters of Mr Obi are saboteurs.

He said that it is unfortunate that his well-intentioned speech which addressed the specific issue of happenings within his own political party was, again, manipulated by fifth columnists to suit their mischievous scheme of bringing him on a collision with Mr Peter Obi, whose unwavering political philosophy of “Taking Back Nigeria” from the draconian stranglehold of the failed ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he wholeheartedly shares.

According to him as a founding member and one of the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, he had used the opportunity of the visit to address PDP issues nationally but particularly in Imo State and assuage the anxiety of the members of his party who have been apprehensive of the developments within the party.

Ihedioha decried the insouciant attitude and the outright sabotage of some acclaimed party leaders whom he accused of engaging in acts that are inimical to the success of the PDP, especially in the Southeast by working in cahoots with the other parties.

He said: “I was only talking about members of my own political party.

“For clarity purposes, I neither referred to members of any other political party, especially the Labour Party as saboteurs. I only spoke in the context of the PDP and the emphasis was on the need for members of my party to remain consistent and committed.”

The former Governor stressed that he respects the aspirations and passion of members of other political parties and remains committed to the cause of his own political party adding that it is not in his character to cast aspersions on those who hold a contrary political opinion.

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