Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, has kept mum on the strongly-worded letter which Governor Charles Soludo wrote about his 2023 ambition.
The letter, which was released on Monday afternoon, has literarily set the internet on fire.
In the 4008-word piece, Soludo dismissed Obi, one of his predecessors as a joker in the 2023 race, saying he would only deplete the votes of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and widen the chances of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Tracing the multiple defections of Obi from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to PDP and Labour Party, which he described as “transit camp” for aspirants who lost primaries, the governor said Obi himself knows that he cannot win.
Soludo also took a swipe at Obi supporters whom he referred to as social media mob.
“There is a limit to propaganda. A mob action often reflects the character of its leader. No one has a monopoly of social media violence, and no one should play God. Life won’t end by February/March 2023. I hope that after February 2023, Peter Obi will return to APGA (the party that made him everything he is politically) as I offered him on 8th March, 2022 and begin the hard work, if he truly wants to be president of Nigeria. It won’t happen by desperately jumping from one party to another or by unleashing a social media mob on everyone who slightly disagrees with you,” Soludo wrote.
Hours after it went viral, Obi has been silent. The Labour Party presidential candidates who usually communicates with his supporters and Nigerians through his social media handles has not responded to Soludo via any of his active online accounts.
Checks by Daily Trust also showed that Labour Party had not issued a statement as of 10pm on Monday.
However, supporters of the presidential candidates popularly known as Obidients have been casting aspersions on the governor.
Tweeting via @SavvyRinu, one of Obi’s supporters wrote, “Charles Soludo doesn’t have time for the flood victims in Anambra but has the time to sit and write a series diatribe on Peter Obi. @CCSoludo shame on you.”
For Twitter user @topboychriss, “Peter Obi should not reply Soludo. Soludo is looking for an excuse to run away from governance. He should focus on delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Anambra. Peter Obi should refuse to be his distraction.”
@jajaPhD wrote: “‘Peter Obi cannot win’ is stale. We moved past that months ago. So, Soludo needs to come up with something else.
Obi is in the race to win. Even if he doesn’t win, his participation would have deepened our nascent democracy.
“And if Obi’s candidacy makes it impossible for Atiku to win, then it means that Atiku cannot win as well. The logic goes both ways. There are other candidates in the 2023 presidential race but the reason they are focused on Obi is because he CAN win.”
@FS_Yusuf_: “Soludo that is not even a regional leader yet, can’t hide his toxic jealousy for Peter Obi. His retirement is at the door waiting for him.”
@Makavelli275: “Governor Chukwuma Soludo, has embarrassed himself the more, in a bid to “explain” himself. Let him do & complete his one tenure shall. We know where we are waiting for him. His disgrace in the next election, shall be televised. You don’t f—k with Obi, w/o facing d consequences.”
@Shehusky: “Charles Soludo is a fraud. Thank God 2023 is revealing who he really is. A supporter of thieves and criminals. Let’s see what he will do in Anambra state in the next 3 years. Fraud. #PeterObi4President2023.”
@UchePOkoye: “Soludo talks too much for a Professor, he is suffering from mouth Diarrhea…. Dora Akunyili.”
@VictorIsrael_: “Governor Soludo as Ex-CBN Governor has all the details of Peter Obi’s finances as the Governor of Anambra. If he had anything against PO trust me he would have spilled it. Obidients you all should go home and sleep, these people have nothing on PO. Na Jealousy dey worry dem ?”
@IamTheIroko: “Charles Soludo is a disgrace of epic proportions. How can you be publicly fighting your brother who should throw your weight completely behind… Nah that man is a disgrace. A big one.”
@DeleFarotimi: “To be fully Obidient, avoid losing your focus and guard. Ignore Soludo, he is designed to distract you from the ongoing revelations about the drug baron seeking the presidency. The good hunting dog is rarely distracted by the scurrying of squirrels in the underbrush. Focus!?”
@Olubankoleidowu: “The likes of Pa Ayo Adebanjo and other Afenifere leaders who are standing by Peter Obi have shown that South-West is home to all regardless of what anyone said about the civil war. But it is a shame that Soludo would bring down a man who laid solid foundation for Anambra state.”
Daily Trust