If “Obiphobia” Is Not Real, Why Is Peter Obi Being Fearfully Talked About By His Political Opponents?
There is no denying the fact that ever since Mr. Peter Obi won the presidential ticket of the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 General Elections that not few politicians affiliated to the remaining 17 political parties that are accredited to contest in the elections can talk about what their respective parties is set to do ahead of the much expected election, and how the economy can be rejuvenated if elected into power without talking about Obi’s candidacy and how “Insolent” and “Rambunctious”, his supporters, who are majorly Netizens are.”
Though not few of his opponents are saying that Obi does not have the real-life structure to win in the upcoming election as majority of his supporters are Netizens, and that his support on the social media space is inconsequential. As myopic as they appear to be in their argument, they keep seeing Obi like the mosquito that is generally regarded to be inconsequential but dreaded so much since discovered on August 20, 1897, by Sir Ronald Ross. Analyzed from the foregoing perspective, it is not an exaggeration to say that as inconsequential and small as mosquito is that it is capable of giving a giant sleepless nights. In fact, seeing Obi’s opponent considering him to be small and inconsequential in the presidential race cannot but remind one of an Ibo proverb that says “Anyone that ignores “Anwu Nta” (Mosquito) does so at his own peril as he will not have a sound sleep amidst its presence”. Put in a similar perspective, Dalai Lama XIV says “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”
You may have been wondering why the proverbial perspective of mosquito is brought into expression in this context. The reason cannot be farfetched as not few of Obi’s opponents are figuratively seeing him as such. Unfortunately, they have forgotten that even if nobody likes mosquitos that they are statistically the most deadly insects in the animal kingdom, and arguably the most annoying.
Paradoxically put, despite been seen to be the most useless things in life, there is often something we can learn from them. Bzzzzzzz. We all know this sound. We all know the nightmares and suffering it can produce during our much-needed and desired sleep. We all know when this creature is approaching. Without denying the fact, its revealing buzz is undeniably unstoppable and greatly feared by anyone. This amazing little creature is even more astonishing than we think. Its simplicity can teach us more than what we could ever have imagined…
To rightly put this piece in an explanatory perspective, since Peter Obi won the presidential ticket to contest on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), his opponents and their followers have somewhat unanimously resorted to the adoption of defeatist strategies as they have continuously been talking about him, and in the same vein been distorting and mischievously misquoting his speeches. Some have passionately and naughtily turned to Fact Checkers as they are determined to pooh-pooh virtually every statistics and economic indices offhandedly quoted by him while impishly being obsessed on issues that relate to what he has in stock towards the rejuvenation of Nigeria’s economy. As if that is not enough, they have equally resorted to relentlessly using foul languages to tackle him ahead of the election so much so that one of the hatchet writers in the opposing camp that has the predilection to be praise-singing his paymaster; despite his enviable level of education, and being a notable practitioner in the fourth estate of the realm, to high heavens unashamedly wrote an article that is anchored with the phonic pun-word ‘Obi-tuary’ mischievously to de-market Obi. To him, the article remains the only available communication strategy to brainwash, mislead and deceive the electorates from supporting and voting for Obi on the D-Day in February, 2023 since he cannot find Obi wanting as regard his age, origin, source of wealth and originality of his academic qualification.
As if the lampooning been orchestrated against Obi, is not enough, another belittling comment expressed from a childish point of view, as conveyed by a trending online video, had Isaac, the younger brother of former Ekiti Governor, Ayodele Fayose, saying that the Labour Party (LP)’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi needs at least N50bn to win in 2023.
Fayose said Obi’s online popularity is not enough to secure victory, emphasizing that he needs N50bn to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He also stressed that the Labour Party presidential candidate lacks the political structure to win the contest.
As conveyed by the video, the younger Fayose said Tinubu has the money and structure to become the next President.
“Out of all the candidates, Obi is the most popular. If we vote today on social media, he will win. But an election is structure-based. So, Obi will need N50bn to be able to make that government a reality. N50bn, yes, Obi will win.
“Remember, Tinubu is a little bit popular too. He has what they call structure. The structure alone is worth N50bn. He has what they call goodwill. They call him ‘The City Boy’. So ‘where him money no fit reach, him structure go reach, where him structure no fit reach, him popularity go reach.
“Obi, with N50bn, will manage to buy his own army to defeat Tinubu,” Fayose stated.
But alas! Obi who virtually all his political opponents love to hate has unarguably become the main issue in Nigerian politics today so much that his popularity ahead of the election has elicited the salient questions that cut across “Why are Nigerians fond of Peter Obi?” and “Why are Nigerians talking about the former governor of Anambra State and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP)?” Answers to the foregoing questions cannot be farfetched as he unarguably come across as the only man that is fit for the job. The quality of his deliberations on what he can offer when he becomes Nigeria’s president have never being puerile as they are usually backgrounded with facts and figures. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that since he threw his hat into the presidential ring that not few Nigerians, particularly the youths who are invariably Netizens have resonated with him and his political philosophy, his political messages and even his body language.
In fact, it would be recalled that Mr. Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, in the month of June says “many” Nigerians are looking for alternatives to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a video posted by AIT, while explaining why PDP lost the recent Ekiti governorship election, Obaseki said many Nigerians no longer want APC and PDP and have now become ‘Obidients’ and added that supporters of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), identify themselves as ‘Obidients’.
According to Obaseki, the PDP must find a way to make Nigerians more interested in the party.
“How can PDP, the party, not win? They were not even number two. So, you can see that something is going on and we do not want this to be a trend. The future of our politics in this country is changing,” he said.
“I do not know whether you are closely watching what is going on — the level of disenchantment within the parties. I am sure in all of our homes now, we have so many people now who call themselves ‘Obidients’.
“I don’t know whether you have them in your house. Just ask them, ‘which party are you?’ They say ‘Obidients’; you understand. They do not want us; they are not talking about PDP or APC.
“They are looking for alternatives and they are many. You see all of them queuing for their PVCs now. They are not looking at the direction of PDP or APC now. They are looking for alternatives.
“If we do not curb this, if we do not make our party attractive, I do not know what will happen in the next elections.”
Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to ask, “If ‘Obiphobia’ is not real, why is Peter Obi been fearfully talked about by his political opponents?”
Sandra Ijeoma Okoye (Author)