As the February 25th presidential election inches closer, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has endorsed Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
The Forum announced the decision on Thursday in a communique read by John Nwodo, the immediate past president-general of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, at the end of its meeting in Abuja.
The SMBLF, which is chaired by Edwin Clark, is made up of leaders from the middle-belt area, as well as groups including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere, and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).
“That we give our unalloyed vote of thanks to our father and leader, Chief Edwin Clark, for his boldness, his sagacity, his tenacity, and his relentlessness in pursuing the aims and aspirations of this organisation.
The communiqué read in part: “That we warn all those who want to change the hands of the clock of Nigeria by doing anything that will derail a peaceful transition to the next civilian government of this country, that we shall rise like one man in defence of the ballot box and that Nigerians must go to vote.
“This we have resolved today and we enjoin other Nigerians who do not belong to our organisation to join us in realising this for the betterment of Nigeria: Peter Obi is your son and he is the rock upon which Nigeria will stand.”
The SMBLF meeting was attended by Ayo Adebanjo, Afenifere leader; and Bittus Pogu, president of the Middle Belt Forum.
