Jones said any attempt to colour Obi’s candidacy with ethnic sentimentality, like other attempts before it, will not work.

He said Obi is a candidate of and for all Nigerians, no matter their tribe or persuasions, and most essentially, “the candidate of those citizens who are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs in our country”.

The statement read in part, “There have been deliberate attempts by those shaken by the ever expanding acceptability of Nigeria’s most credible and best received presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, to attempt to colour his candidacy with ethnic sentimentality. This, like other attempts before it, will not work.

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“Peter Obi is a candidate of and for all Nigerians, no matter their tribe or persuasions. But, he is actually more, the candidate of those citizens who are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs in our country. This includes members of disparate rebel and angry groups in the country.

“It is easy to understand that one of the aims of those who sponsored the report suggesting that the Peter Obi campaign is being spearheaded by IPOB members, is to attempt to alienate the millions of Peter Obi’s supporters across different parts of Nigeria, but we are encouraged by the fact that Nigerians are wiser and will not allow themselves to be bamboozled with falsehoods propagated by those desperate to keep them in chains of ethnic and religious bigotry.

“The Peter Obi Movement is a people driven idea whose time has come, and we welcome individuals of disparate persuasions, who believe that Peter Obi has the capacity to reset Nigeria and turn it to a working system, where talents shall thrive and passion can be turned to wealth, instead of waste.

“It goes without saying that we welcome everyone who is frustrated with the system, including repentant members of the Boko Haram sect, Niger Delta Avengers, Fulani herdsmen, and every group or individual whom Nigeria has failed and who gave up hope on our country.

“We promise to reawaken their patriotism for our country and strengthen their faith in our nationhood through good governance, justice and equity which shall define the Peter Obi presidency.”

(PUNCH)