A Nigerian man, Francis B. Inametti has recounted how he nearly clashed with the presidential candidate of the Labour party, Peter Obi years ago in Port Harcourt.
The man through his social media account, recounted that activities at Mr. Peter Obi’s warehouse located in Akpo Local Government Area of Rivers State, in the past , posed traffic challenge to the residents of the community.
He said, while the stakeholders of the community met to discuss the nuisance caused by Mr. Peter Obi’s warehouse especially the traffic challenge caused by heavy trucks that brought wares to the warehouse, Mr. Peter Obi arrived at the meeting.
He explained that at Obi’s arrival, he immediately accosted him for being the major contributor to the community’s challenge. According to him, despite the manner he attacked Peter Obi, his reaction was “disarming “.
In his words: “Let me tell you about my personal encounter with Peter Obi about two decades ago.
“I was living in Port Harcourt along Ada George Rd, off Kala in Obio Akpo LGA. Peter Obi had a warehouse on Kala rd. He was a major importer of canned products like Heinz salad cream, Baked Beans Ketchups, sweet corn, corned beef etc.
“His trucks bringing goods to his warehouse constituted real nuisance to traffic. It got to a point during the rainy season where we could no longer access our homes and had to resort to parking in El Shaddai Nursery/ Primary School before trekking home. So the Chairman of Kala Residents community, Chief Ogolo convened a meeting to chart the way forward. We were all asked to pay some money towards fixing the road and I was appointed as the treasurer. Just when we were rounding up, Peter Obi sauntered in and I was quick to attack him for being the major contributor to the problem which burden was now on our collective neck.
“I honestly expected him to arrogantly shout me down and intimidate everyone. But what he did, disarmed most of us who were spoiling for a fight against this rich man. First of all, he stood up and apologized for coming late to the meeting, due to traffic at Aba, on his way from Onitsha. He averred that until that moment, he was not aware of the trauma his business activities were causing the residents and pledged to singlehandedly find a solution to our problem. This meeting held on a Saturday and by Monday morning, heavy duty equipment were lined up, preparatory to the work
“By Wednesday, remedial and rehabilitation work had commenced and by the following Monday, we were driving smoothly to our houses. Peter Obi had singlehandedly constructed drainages and resurfaced the Kala Road. That showed me how noble the man was, long before he dabbled into politics.”
