Reasons Behind The Impressive Massive Turnout In The Ongoing Voters’ Registration Exercise: The Peter Obi Factor

I have read rather with mixed feelings a number of what I consider not too well balanced opinions shared by some analysts or social commentators online for reasons behind the impressive massive turnout among the Igbos in the South Eastern part of Nigeria in the ongoing voters registration exercise across the country by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

While some have opined that the highly impressive turnout for voters registration lately is because Ndigbo wish to vote enmass for Peter Obi, Presidential candidate of the Labour Party; ahead of the 2023 general elections, others seem to share a contrary view.

Why this could be part of the reason, but it is not completely all of it. Igbo people are known for their entrepreneurial spirit embedded in commerce and industry. Conversely, majority of them especially, in states like Anambra and Abia, do not depend on Government for survival. And that explains the reason behind the apathy in voters registration among most of them, who may not have the luxury of time to stay in the long queue for hours, days, weeks and even months to register and collect their Permanent Voters Cards known as PVCs: which at the end of the day, the elections may still be manipulated, tainted by irregularities and dangerously rigged to favour a candidate from a particular session of the country.

So, why waste manpower and productive business time to stay in the queue for hours over voters registration, which chances remain that the elections will still be rigged?

Suffice it to say that the apathy in voters’ registration is as a result of loss of confidence in the electoral system and leadership formation of Nigeria; as the massive turnout has become a wake-up call to change the narrative for the better.

Ironically, some shortsighted analysts have even rained abuses on Ndigbo, who are lately seen struggling to register at the various INEC designated registration centres because they wish to vote for Peter Obi to pass a message to those within the corridors of power about the annoying marginalization and injustice meted to the South Easterners in Nigeria.

Peter Obi came with a different brand of politics; a kind of message that seems not to have been preached and practiced by most Nigerian politicians and public office holders: incorruptible, bent on fixing a beleaguered economy, a deplorable state of the nation, removing Nigeria from a consumptive nation to a productive nation,  returning the country back to Nigerians,  boosting the economic base of the nation, re-evaluation of the currency; Naira, creation of  job opportunities for the teeming army of unemployed youths  and correction of the social anomalies in the system. And trust Peter Obi, who lives true to his ideologies and social idiosyncrasies.

He is seen as honest, trustworthy and with huge deposit of integrity particularly anchored on  transparency, probity and accountability. His political trajectory, clean and undented records as former Anambra State Governor speaks volumes about all this.

Those who will support Peter Obi wouldn’t do that for money or  because he is from the SouthEast, but rather because he holds a firm message and workable template on how to completely change the narrative and make Nigeria -Great Again! 

That is the strong compelling message or political mantra that has made thousands and millions of Igbo business community and Nigerians both home and in the diaspora to throw caution to the wind as they sacrifice their time to participate in the ongoing voters registration by INEC, not necessarily because Peter Obi is an Igbo and Ndigbo are being marginalized.

We shall witness a mass movement and total solidarity for the Peter Obi political factor in the coming weeks and months; just like during the #EndSARS Protest.

Nigerians are tired, and are in dire need of a better change; not from top to bottom President Muhammadu Buhari promised us!  

Peter Obi may be the Third Force in the Nigerian Political space and turf.

There will be some surprise in the 2023 general elections as the political intrigues, permutations and melodrama in the roughish business of politics shall leave people spellbound for a long time.

‘A new normal is possible’,  in the words of Prof. Nnamdi Obiaraeri.

I am responsible for this singular opinion that I hold.

Njoku Macdonald Obinna, is my name. 
I am a Media Consultant and PR-Expert, Publisher, 4th Estate Reporters