Peter Obi Support Network (POSN) has accused Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State of preventing them from holding a Northern Summit at the Arewa House.
Reports say that the Northern Summit is meant to gather supporters for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, under one roof.
The group had announced plans to hold a summit designed to interact with supporters of Peter Obi across the 19 Northern States of the country.
POSN stated that Governor El-rufai, through his spokesperson, called the Manager of Arewa House to notify the their spokesman that “we cannot have Peter/Datti Northern Summit in Arewa House” less than 24 hours to the kickoff of the event.
They noted that the Kaduna governor did not give any reason for denying POSN from accessing the venue for its Summit.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, the POSN spokesman, Sani Saeed Altukry, said the summit is not a political campaign of any sort, but a converge of volunteers and would-be volunteers and supporters of the Obi-Datti project for necessary interaction and cross-fertilization of ideas.
The event was initially billed to hold on the 19th of July 2022 at the popular Arewa House, Raba Road, Kaduna. Still, the government issued a directive cancelling the use of the venue after the group had paid for its use.
POSN added that Governor El-rufai is too small to stop the “Peoples Movement” which Peter Obi represents, vowing not to succumb to intimidation aimed at suppressing the liberation of northern Nigeria from under-development and poverty.
The statement reads, “We condemn the decision of the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-rufai, to block the hosting of the Northern Summit for Peter Obi and Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) and his running mate at the Arewa House in the state
“The decision of the Governor is disheartening at the critical point in time when Northern Nigerians are desperate for development and liberation from poverty due to maladministration.
“The Governor of Kaduna state is intimidated by the rising profile of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, across the length and breadth of the country.
“The Governor should know that this is a “Peoples Movement” which can never be stopped.
“The Movement represents all oppressed Nigerians and everyone that desires good governance, and Governor El-rufai is too small to suppress it.”