Ihedioha disputes claims that Peter Obi's Igbo backers are saboteurs.

On Wednesday, Emeka Ihedioha, a former deputy speaker of the house of representatives, refuted claims that Igbo supporters of the Labour Party's Peter Obi are saboteurs.

Ihedioha said that it was impossible for him to have referred to Igbo supporters of Obi as saboteurs given the close relationship he had with the LP presidential candidate in a statement released in Owerri, the capital of Imo State.

The statement blamed those it referred to as "fifth columnists" for the negative media coverage he had had as a result of the development.

Ihedioha claimed that his remarks at the Mbaise community's new yam festival in Ghana were misunderstood, adding that he was alluding to PDP members who were undermining the party in the South-East region.

According to the statement, "On the invitation of his relatives, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON recently traveled to Accra, Ghana, to join the Mbaise community there in celebrating this year's Iri Ji festival.

As a founding member and one of the party's leaders, he took advantage of the chance to address PDP issues nationally, but particularly in Imo State, and allay the worries of party members who had been concerned about internal developments.

"In doing so, he denounced what is, at best, a smug attitude and, at worst, the actual sabotage of some acclaimed party officials who are acting in ways that are detrimental to the success of the PDP, particularly in the South-East, by cooperating with the other parties. Only people from his own political party were mentioned.

For the sake of clarification, His Excellency did not use the term "saboteurs" to describe members of any other political party, particularly the Labour Party. He solely discussed the PDP, and his primary points focused on the importance of party members continuing to be loyal and consistent.

It is unthinkable that he would characterize as a saboteur anyone who is backing Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, who has been a close friend of his for many years and with whom he shares a close political affinity and the utmost regard.

It is unfortunate that his well-intentioned speech, which focused on events within his own political party, was once more mishandled by fifth columnists in order to further their cunning plan to pit him against Mr. Peter Obi, whose unwavering political ethos of 'Taking Back Nigeria' from the oppressive stranglehold of the failed ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, he wholeheartedly shares.

While remaining dedicated to the cause of his own political party, "His Excellency respects the aspirations and fervor of members of other political parties, and it is not in his character to cast aspersions on those who hold opposite political ideas."