Supporters of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in 2023, Peter Obi, have descended on the party’s Enugu governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, following what they perceive as his betrayal of Obi and the Obidients Movement, as he eulogised President Bola Tinubu’s leadership of the country on his birthday.

They described Edeoga as a man, who could not be trusted, saying that his glowing tribute to Tinubu confirms the allegation that he met with a prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) governor of South East extraction in Egypt to influence things for him during the legal tussle with Governor Peter Mbah with a firm promise to dump the LP for the APC once declared by the court and also cede a portion of the state’s allocation to the said governor.

Supporters of APC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have also taken to their “X” handles to remind him of how he allegedly laboured to taint the President ahead of the presidential election.

Taking to his verified “X” (formerly Twitter) handle, @chijioke_edeoga, the former LP gubernatorial candidate wrote, “On behalf of my family and the Labour Party Enugu State, I extend warm wishes to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT on the occasion of your birthday celebration.

“May this special day be a testament to your unwavering commitment to the progress and prosperity of Nigeria. Your leadership exemplifies dedication and vision, guiding our nation towards greater heights. Wishing you continued strength, wisdom, and success as you lead our nation from consumption to production. Happy Birthday Your Excellency!”

But LP supporters and Obidents tackled Edeoga even more as a betrayer, saying he was preparing grounds for his defection from LP after using the party’s platform to pursue his failed governorship ambition.

Ejike Nnaji, @Ejike_CN, twitted, “Now I can confirm that I made a mistake spending money for your election. For you to describe Tinubu in these words. I am out.”

Michael Egwuonwu, @MichealEgwuonwu, said, “I doubt you ever deserved the trust and effort of the Obidients that carried you on their heads.”

Yoruba Obidient, @DebbyDimension, replied “Can you imagine”, while Ekenechukwu Kelvin Ani, @Ekenechukwukel2, wrote, “You are a hypocrite. You suddenly become a saint after you failed woefully and have nowhere to fall back on.”

“You are a big disgrace to the Obidient Movement,” Prince Adewole, @SWorld247, wrote.

Sebastian Ogbonna, @sebogbonna, reprimanded, “’Your leadership exemplifies dedication and vision, guiding our nation towards greater heights…’ Really? I don’t mind a birthday wish, but, come on, what is this? You are either insincere to Tinubu or not true to yourself as an opposition. With this, you probably deserve your loss.”

Emeka Okonkwo, @emekaokonkwo, told Edeoga “You cannot be trusted,” while Vincent Nwadiaru, @Vnwadiaru, reacted, “Just imagine. Someone we were all rooting for. Kai, these politicians ehhn. They can never be trusted.”

Maazi Ezennaya @VEzeh, said, “So, it’s true; you are joining APC?”

Valerian Steel, @ThinkThank15, tweeted, “If Edoga had won the election I can beat my chest that within 3 months after the election he would have decamped to APC. This is why sometimes it doesn’t pain me that he wasn’t the governor.”

Hauwadungus, @adamessiah0703 reacted, “On behalf of yourself and your family alone, wish Tinubu happy birthday. Don’t drag Labour Party Enugu into this. It seems you have lost it.”

“Only about one year, you are already manifesting. Politics of anywhere belle face. You can’t even play the opposition in your state. No charisma, no courage, no intellectual engagement, no fresh ideas, nothing. Just there!! Obidients, who didn’t campaign for you, were wiser.”

@CryptoAka07 tweeted, “Failure recognises failure. Sorry, I mean real recognises real.”

However, several others said they were not surprised at Edeoga’s comment and alleged plan to defect, saying he had never been a man of his words.

“He is a perennial fair-weather politician. He signed a pact with other PDP governorship aspirants in his senatorial zone to stick together and support whomever former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi endorsed. But once he was not chosen, he contested against Peter Mbah in the primary election where he lost woefully.

“He also issued a statement he signed by himself endorsing Peter Mbah, but dumped him to seek election in the LP, riding on the popularity of Peter Obi.

“He was twice commissioner under Ugwuanyi for eight years, served as PDP House of Reps member, and held various other positions under PDP since 1999, but left simply because he lost governorship primary election. He is never a man to be trusted,” Arinze Darlington stated.

Prince Ejeh Josh, @Prinnccejosh, wrote, “This is the same Edeoga that viciously unleashed his goons during the campaign to call President @officialABAT unprintable names in the name of politics. Now, after the president has won, and failure and hunger stared on Edeoga, he is now patronising him. Stop this hypocrisy.

“It’s that terrible that this same Edeoga could now admit that the president is dedicated after desperately trying to destroy his image. We will not forget in a hurry how you incited your anomic supporters to taint the image, integrity, and character of President @officialABAT.”

Journalist101