As the 2023 general elections draw nearer, a political support group known as ObiDatti Vanguard Movement (OVM) has distanced itself from what it called “the deplorable and unceremonious activities” of the embattled governorship candidate of Labor Party in Enugu State, Mr. Chijioke Edeoga. 

The Director General of the group, Hon. Chekwas Okechukwu made this known in a press statement issued after their monthly meeting held in Enugu on Monday. 

Chekwas who spoke to newsmen at the end of the well attended meeting, noted that despite being members of Labour Party, his group was only interested in campaigning for Mr. Peter Obi for President, pointing out that they were also committed to the victory Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah for Enugu State Governor. 

He equally noted that his group did not want to be associated with Edeoga, describing him as a “factional governorship candidate of the party and a divisive contestant”. 

According to Okechukwu, "the manner in which Chijioke Edeoga is desperately pursuing his political ambition is disgraceful and appalling. For this reason and more, we have decided to clearly dissociate ourselves from his activities. 

"We are working tirelessly to ensure that come 2023, a Nigeria President of Igbo extraction is elected and to that effect, Mr. Peter Obi is the only person on our minds. The next project we have is to support the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah for Enugu State Governor. 

“This may sound weird, but we have thought it through and this time we will vote for competent leaders instead of political party. 

“Despite being members of Labour, we shall mobilize our members to vote massively for PDP governorship candidate in Enugu State because he is the only competent contestant,”, he stated, 

Regretting that other candidates are merely playing to the gallery, he slammed them for seeking to exploit the ObIdient movement in their desperation for power. 

"Peter Mbah has convinced the entire people of Enugu State beyond reasonable doubt that he is the only candidate that is prepared to improve the living standard of our people. His manifesto is clear and rich, coupled with the fact that he has a proven record of competence.

“This is unlike Edeoga who has not been able to article simple and clear plans for Enugu people. How can we blindly follow such an unserious character?”, he queried.

"Chijioke Edeoga is on his own, and just like other members of the Labour Party in Enugu State, we have no business with him. No sane person will associate with a desperate, incompetent and arrogant man like Edeoga. 

“Besides being unattractive and unmarketable, Edeoga has no funds to sponsor his campaign, and that is why he only has a handful deceived followers."

Chekwas lamented that since Chijioke Edeoga joined Labour Party after failing woefully at the People's Democratic Party, PDP primary election, where he got 9 votes out of about 810 votes cast, “he has only succeeded in dividing the party and bringing us nothing but division and disgrace from every corner”,  he said.