Why I Didn’t Visit Ill Rivers LP Gov Candidate — Peter Obi

*Apologizes To Rivers Labour Party Guber Candidate, Beatrice Itubo

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi has apologised to Beatrice Itubo, the party’s gubernatorial candidate in Rivers state, for not visiting her during his trip.

Recall Obi was in Port Harcourt during on Thursday for the inauguration of the Nkpolu Oroworukwo flyover.

During his visit, he asked Governor Nyesom Wike to support his bid for the presidency in exchange for the governorship seat.

This request, irked some members of LP in the state. They frowned at how Obi asked Wike to take the gubernatorial seat and support him for the presidency.

Some of them were particularly concerned that Itubo, known to have been mobilising support for Obi, was in clutches nursing injuries she sustained from a domestic accident when her presidential candidate was trading off her ambition.

Itubo had replied that she only understood Obi’s statement within the context of politics, saying she would never step down for Wike’s governorship candidate.

But in a statement on Saturday, Obi apologised for the oversight, saying he was not aware of the party’s guber candidate’s sickness.

He reassured Itubo of a cordial working relationship between the both of them.

My remarks when I visited Port Harcourt have been wrongly interpreted by some people. The former Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili and I, are among other prominent Nigerians that schooled in Christ the King College (CKC) Onitsha, and we remain alumni of the school.

— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) November 19, 2022

He said: “My sincere apologies to Mrs Beatrice Itubo, the Labour Party candidate in Rivers State for an inadvertent oversight. When I visited Port Harcourt a few days back, I was not informed or aware of her sickness.

“On arrival in PH, I was welcomed by the Labour Party Presidential State Coordinator in Rivers State and other Party stakeholders.

“We had a useful meeting and I explained to them the purpose of my visit, which was to respectfully honour an invitation by the Rivers State Government and that I will return for our party’s rally and other LP engagements soon.

“No one mentioned that our candidate was sick, otherwise I would have visited her before or after the event. I had committed to passing through the campaign office no matter how late, and that I did at about 6.30pm.

“My dear sister, I sincerely wish you a very quick recovery and reassure you of our good working relationship. May God Almighty bless you always.”