A 104-year-old woman, Iyom Josephine Ezeanyaeche, has endorsed the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, to become president in Saturday’s election, saying they would make Nigeria an investment hub.
Recall that Ezeanyaeche, who is also called ‘living legend’ or “Mama Africa’, hails from Aguata, Anambra State and is the founder of the ‘Voice for Senior Citizens of Nigeria’ group to declare for President in 2022.
During her visit to the Management team of the Nigerian Television Authority, she expressed readiness to contest for the number one position if the younger generations of the country are not ready.
Caro Nwosu, president of the group quoted Ezeanyaeche as saying, “If Nigerians are shying away from political participation, she says she is ready to contest. She has already prepared a manifesto for herself; she has the vision. If the good ones don’t come out to contest…”
The aged woman acknowledged Nwosu’s statement as she said in Igbo, “If you have a male or female child, try to train them to surpass your own achievements.”
She was said to have received many awards for her contributions to humanity and nation-building, including the African Peace Award, 2021.
She joins a long list of individuals who have so far declared interest to run for the position in 2023.
While declaring Obi as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, she said he is qualified as the number one out of the four major contestants.
“The searchlight for his selection was nationally oriented and accepted for his visionary leadership, integrity, transparency, competence, capacity, character, selflessness, enlightenment, education, and nationalism.
“Calling him for this honourable task in our assessment will comfort Nigerians for a new beginning.
“Obi will fix the economy and create jobs, if the economy is fixed, it will be easier to tackle insecurity, fight corruption and improve the social well-being of the people.
“Peter Obi will passionately undertake major constitutional changes that will bring about the devotion of power, fiscal federation and entrenching of good governance and rule of law.”
Ezeanyaeche said that Obi has a great opportunity to change the course of the country’s future for good. And he has the character, competence and capacity to look at his previous achievements and previous performances.
She added that Obi would unite the people of Nigeria in all ramifications to make Nigeria one united family.
She said that Nigerians are long yielding for the younger generation to take the mantle of leadership to rescue her from her current predicament.
“Nigerians will be healed of the wounds caused by incompetent leadership,” she said.
The Chairman of the Party, Mr Juius Abure, thanked Ezeanyaeche for believing in Obi to transform Nigeria.
Abure said that in the last few days, a lot of groups and political parties have endorsed Obi because they know he would deliver.
“I, therefore, want to urge all our supporters that on the 25th of this month which is Saturday, they should all come out to cast their votes for the labour party.
Abure said that they had been assured by security agencies that they are on top of the matter.
He added that LP has confidence in INEC, led by Prof. Mamood Yakubu, to do the right thing.
“I, therefore, want to use this opportunity to appeal to INEC that the standard they have laid, the integrity they have built over the year, they must crystalize it by their activities in this election.
“They must be patriotic and put the interest of the country first and beyond every other interest.
“They must avoid the temptation of allowing this election to be compromised.
“I must also commend all the international observers that have interfaced with me personally, with our party and with our candidate and have assured us that they will observe the election and do the right thing.”
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