One of the brittle lies being traded by ethnic and religious bigots who oppose the presidential candidacy of Mr Peter Obi is the accusation that he put members of the Northern and Hausa/Fulani community on their toes when he was the Governor of Anambra State. This hatred-oriented fabrication was intended to pitch the North against the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi. Recall that the same tactic of this very fabrication was introduced in 2023 and clearly debunked with video interviews from relevant persons.
The truth is always the same everywhere; whenever it shows up, all the modicums of duplicity find their ways, escaping through the lucent windows of veracity. This repeated version is no exception.
The allegations of profiling Northerners and demolition of a mosque were false installations by members of the opposition to bruise and subsequently diminish the chances of Peter Obi becoming the president of Nigeria. In describing the allegations quite suitably, leaders of the Hausa and Northern communities in Anambra State, while fielding questions from journalists in Awka and at Onitsha recently, described the allegations as “politically motivated and intended to damage Obi’s reputation ahead of the 2027 general election.”
While leaders of the Hausa and Northern communities in Anambra State did not mince words dismissing the upsetting allegations, Nigerians who hitherto rose in defence of the former governor and got some backlashes from Obi’s haters became appropriately vindicated. Indeed, nothing frees the conscience like the truth.
“Contrary to the claims being circulated, Northerners in Anambra enjoyed a cordial relationship with the Obi’s administration and benefited from several of its programmes, including free education, agricultural loans, and sponsorship for the annual Hajj pilgrimage,” the leaders of the Hausa Community echoed.
The secretary of the Hausa community at Onitsha and secretary of the Northern community in Anambra and Delta States, Mr Mahmud Ibrahim; the traditional ruler of the Hausa community in Awka, Alhaji Garba Haruna; and the chairman of northern community in Anambra State, Alhaji Gidado Sidikki, were the latest witnesses to Peter Obi’s clean dossier. Ibrahim, who served as secretary of the community for several years, explained that the mosque at the centre of the controversy was demolished before Obi came into power.
“Our relationship with Mr Peter Obi during his tenure as governor, even now, is cordial. We want to make it clear that the rumour that he demolished our mosque when he was governor is untrue,” said Ibrahim. Putting facts in their rightful historical beacons, Ibrahim expatiated that “the mosque was demolished in February 2006 during a reprisal attack connected with the sharia crisis, while Obi assumed office as Governor in March of that year.”
Naysayers should be reminded that it was Mr Peter Obi who visited the Muslim community at the Army barracks where the Northern community sought refuge and further donated money towards the rebuilding of the demolished mosque. So, where on earth did the excavators of commotion dig up the mosque demolition story from?
It was also a skyscraper-height fallacy that Peter Obi compelled Northerners to obtain identity cards as authorisation to stay in Anambra State when he was the governor.
This refutation has been made several times by those in the know, yet, trouble diggers continued to look around for spaces to create hateful ditches, just to satisfy the political urge of their paymasters who are envious of Peter Obi’s gargantuan achievements and people-oriented political dossier.
It was a similar refutation from Alhaji Garba Haruna, the traditional leader of the Hausa community in Awka, who similarly rejected the claims of discrimination against northerners during Obi’s administration.
“Our relationship then and even now remains cordial. My children benefitted from the free education programme, and I personally benefitted from his sponsorship for Hajj,” said Haruna.
Beyond clearing the wicked smokescreen created by the bucket bearers of sewage men, it is good for audacity to be taken to the appropriate field for the good of humanity, not to help grow the forest of inhumane and heartless political bicycle kick experts, who know nothing better than polluting the political space with religious and ethnic bigotry.
Now, let Nigerians know this; the time not to be used again is now.
Mr Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso are the true pillars of the redemption we seek. Let us collectively reject the machinations of those that rely on ethnic and religious politics of utter division and make Nigeria OK come 2027. A New Nigeria is very POssible!
