Katch Ononuju, the special adviser on public affairs to Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi has revealed what transpired that led to the protest at the town hall meeting organised by Arise TV for presidential candidates.
Recall that there was a protest at the venue by some participants who rejected the idea of the PDP vice presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, representing his principal and the total absence of the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the event.
Following this, the Labour Party whose candidate was present at the event issued a statement that they will not attend debates where the major presidential candidates are absent.
Speaking on this on News Central TV, Katch Ononuju said, “I was there sitting beside Dino Melaye. As we were there, they asked why is Atiku not here, Dino turned around and said Atiku cannot come here, he is too big for these people. And that was how a lady beside me said, how do say that? And the people said no we won’t take this.
Everybody now stood up spontaneously in reaction to what he said. As the commotion was there, Nduka Obaigbena walked up to me and said Katch what’s going on here? And I said Dino said that Atiku will not come that he is too big for the crowd. And the whole people as they heard that, Dino tried to deny and we told him we had him on tape.
Once he heard that, he kept quiet, he’s sorry. By that time the crowd had heard him, they said they would not agree that it’s a presidential town hall meeting for presidential candidates. In democracies as we copy from the US, when there is a meeting for presidential candidates, presidential candidates attend and when there a meeting for vice presidential candidates, vice presidential candidates attend.
It was at the point of the commotion that we now said no we will not have this kind of thing happen if exactly the intention is as it was replayed to the crowds by Dino’s words.”
