₦airaland Forum

Crowds in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Saturday staged a protest against former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, for bringing ex-Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to the Odenigbo Lecture Series organised by the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri.

The protest began after both politicians arrived at the Assumpta Cathedral, venue of the annual lecture.

Obi, who was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in 2023, had welcomed El-Rufai to Imo State a day earlier, where the former governor was also received by the traditional ruler of Nekede Ancient Kingdom, Eze Agumanu.

While El-Rufai’s visit to Nekede went without incident, his presence at a Christian gathering alongside Obi triggered outrage.

Men, women, and youths carrying placards stormed the cathedral gates, chanting war songs and accusing Obi of bringing an enemy into Igboland.

Security operatives struggled to prevent the angry crowd from blocking Obi and El-Rufai from entering the cathedral.

Many of the protesters claimed that El-Rufai’s tenure as Kaduna governor was marked by violence against Christians and therefore considered his presence in Igboland unacceptable.

Some openly declared that Obi, by associating with El-Rufai, had lost their trust and respect.

Some of their placards read, “Stop deceiving us, Peter Obi,” “El Rufai is an enemy,” and “We don’t want you in Imo State.”

"Our respect for Obi has evaporated today. By identifying with an enemy of Ndigbo, he has also made himself an enemy,” they declared.

They added, “Ndigbo will never take Obi seriously again after his open relationship with El-Rufai.”

Despite the protests, Obi and El-Rufai had attended a private meeting on Friday with key stakeholders of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, at the residence of Chief Dr C.J. Oparah in Awaka, Owerri North Local Government Area.

The closed-door session brought together several Igbo leaders, including Professor Batos Nwadike, Chief Mike Nwachukwu, Rt. Hon. Maduagwu, HRM Eze Mitchell Uchenna Egbukole of Egbu Ancient Kingdom, and Mr Nick Oparandudu, where discussions centred on the party’s structures and future direction.

However, the unrest at the cathedral overshadowed those political engagements, as the fierce reaction from the crowd forced security operatives to whisk El-Rufai away from the venue for his safety, while Obi faced chants of betrayal from angry indigenes.

yarimo:
El RUFAI will soon invade media to blame president TINUBU for this

AMINDA:
Lol. Lies. Post pictures or videos of the protests let us see. Elrufai was warmly received by the good people of Imo State.

AMINDA:
Lol. Lies. Post pictures or videos of the protests let us see. Elrufai was warmly received by the good people of Imo State.

yarimo:
El RUFAI will soon invade media to blame president TINUBU for this

owobokiri:
Hope Uzodimgba doing his things. Who get time fir Elrufai in Owerri? Sponsored crowd ofcourse.. Hope is a Machevelian. To him, the end will always justify the means.
Somehow, he thinks that Tinubu will look his way for the position of the Vice president in the future. Dude does not stay in Imo anymore. Always stuck in Abuja.
Maybe by attacking Tinubus enemies, he will curry some favour from Tge Don Colleon of Bourdillion

Dennisochampa:
Just go Internet... U go see all the proof wen u want

jmoore:
Skit from APC Hope Uzodimma.

Have they protested in government house in Owerri for the areas under the control of unknown gunmen? Abi, Christians in Imo state are not among the victims of unknown gunmen in Imo state?

Some Imo indigenes do their traditional wedding in Abia state.

No be only erupt, na volcano.

Next!

owobokiri:
Hope Uzodimgba doing his things. Who get time fir Elrufai in Owerri? Sponsored crowd ofcourse.. Hope is a Machevelian. To him, the end will always justify the means.
Somehow, he thinks that Tinubu will look his way for the position of the Vice president in the future. Dude does not stay in Imo anymore. Always stuck in Abuja.
Maybe by attacking Tinubus enemies, he will curry some favour from Tge Don Colleon of Bourdillion

Penguin2:
Look at the trash that was pushed to Front Page.

Protests erupted where?

You talking about the ragtags that were given caborn sheets to hold and they were using them to cover their faces? They weren’t even up to 20.

You call that protest?

atobs4real:
paid protest. keep deceiving ur selves.
even though i don't like the man.
Paid agent at work

Eriokanmi:
Politics. That's all am seeing.
Uzodinma weldone ooooooooo. Your era will soon pass, both as party and position in Nigeria