‘I wasn’t aware’ — Obi apologises for not visiting ill Rivers LP guber candidate

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

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

During his visit, he asked Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, to support his bid for the presidency.

He advised Wike to remain consistent in his principles, adding that if the Rivers governor supports LP, the party’s chances will increase in the 2023 elections.

“Remember this agreement today. I’m kneeling down and begging. Take this one, give me this one. I assure you the one I will take, I will use it to ensure that Rivers state becomes greater and better,” he said.

Obi also visited the LP presidential state coordinator and other party stakeholders.

However, the LP guber candidate was absent from his meetings.

Some members of LP in the state had frowned at how Obi asked Wike to take the gubernatorial seat and support him for the presidency.

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 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,” he said.

“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 I did at about 6.30 pm.

“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.”