—-Condemns Tinubu’s Silence over Obituary Article Published In His Newspaper

The Peter Obi Support Network (POSN) has alleged that All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, wants the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and his supporters dead.

In a statement the group issued on Wednesday, it said Tinubu refused to condemn the obituary column on Obi, written by one of his employees, Mr. Sam Omatseye, pointing out that the said article was published on Monday by Tinubu’s newspaper, The Nation.

In the article, Omatseye clearly wished the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and his supporters dead.

The group, PSON, in the statement signed by its Deputy Director of Communications, Mr Adegbite Adekunle, said: “If Tinubu did not sanction that article, it would not have been published in his newspaper. If he did not sanction it, by now Omatseye would have been sacked or, at least, reprimanded for that satanic piece.

“For Tinubu and his camp to keep quiet on this sacrilegious write-up by one of his confidants and published by his own newspaper speaks volumes.

“It betrays Tinubu’s endorsement of the column which has attracted widespread condemnation, except from the Asiwaju and his camp,”

The group also said “this is the second time in barley three weeks that the Tinubu camp is praying for death in the Obi camp.”

It recalled that Tinubu himself during an APC rally in Osun State on July 13 publicly declared that Labour Party’s ‘Obidients’ – as Obi’s supporters are otherwise known – would labour till death.”

POSN added: “Tinubu has brought in ethnicity, religion and now death wish into the 2023 campaign. It portends grave danger.

“Ethnicity: He was the only presidential candidate who said, ‘It is my turn. It is Yorubas’ turn’. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and others accentuated it with their ethnic comments and actions.

“Religion: He was the only one who disregarded the religious plurality in his choice of running mate, thereby making religion a talking point in this campaign season.

“Repeated reference to death – He was the one who said that Labour Party supporters will labour in vain to their death. Now he has published a full-page article in his newspaper (The Nation) referring to #PeterObi as ‘OBI-TUARY’, another reference to death. In that same article, he also engaged in the demonization of the Igbos, a clear attempt to set Igbos up for hate and attacks.

“It is obvious the Tinubu camp is desperate and ready to fight dirty in this campaign. But this is not 2015. The people are ready to meet them squarely,” the group posited.

The group then called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to call to order Alhaji Tinubu and his supporters.

As the group puts it: “While Tinubu is free to pursue his life ambition to become Nigeria’s President by hook or by crook, he should realise that Nigeria is bigger than his selfish ambition and should refrain from unnecessarily heating up the polity.

“INEC should call him to order without further delay before he plunges the country into needless chaos with his unguarded utterance and hate speech.”