Foremost pan-Igbo sociopolitical pressure organisation, the South East Revival Group (SERG) has said that it is regrettable to realise that the former Governor of Kano State and Presidential Candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso “is an ethnic politician, contrary to earlier believe that he is a nationalist.”
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu and monitored by NjenjeMediaNews, the SERG noted that “the ongoing battle for the soul of Nigeria ahead of 2023 presidential election does not require an alliance with a politician with ethic-superiority mindset.
“Peter Obi is a Nigerian, in the race to be elected Nigeria’s President irrespective of the tribe or religion he belongs to, just like every other presidential candidate belongs to their respective tribes and religious bodies.
“But the now is, has Peter Obi shown Nigerian electorates that he has the intellectual capacity, requisite experience and and character to make Nigeria work again?
“The answer is shown all over the country as Peter Obi has been accepted across the country as majority of Nigerians have vehemently rejected both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential flagbearers as they belongs to the old bloc of expired and failed politicians.
“It was the hope of Nigerians that an alliance between the former Governor of Kano State and his Anambra State counterpart would have been complimentary in the move by the masses to take back their country.
“However, the recent utterances of Rabiu Kwankwaso and his insults on Igbos have clearly exposed him as an ethnic bigot who was mistaken for a nationalist.
“We, therefore, urge Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to move forward, shop for a more nationalistic Vice-Presidential candidate from the North.
“As has been observed, the Peter Obi movement is sweeping across cities and states all over the country even before the campaigns starts.
“Peter Obi realise that the Nigerian people are genuinely following him and it is the alliance discussion with Rabiu Kwankwaso that nearly brought the former Kano State Governor into national political limelight.
“Now that Kwankwaso has exposed his true self, that he is not different from other ethnic bigots with a superiority complex, which is extremely bad for national unity and integration”, the SERG said.