Reactions have continued to trail the inclusion of Maj Gen John Enenche (Retd.), who described the Lekki shooting incident as “photoshopped” and “cropped”, on the list of members of the presidential campaign council of Labour Party presidential standard-bearer, Peter Obi.
Enenche is a retired General and former Director of Defence Information.
On Wednesday, LP presidential candidate Obi, released a list of his campaign team, which had 1,234 names, including that of the ex-Army General who was appointed as a representative of the North-Central region.
Criticisms have trailed the appointment of Enenche in Obi’s campaign team, over his role in the Lekki shooting incident of October 20, 2020 and his comments in the aftermath of the anti-police brutality protests (#EndSARS protest).
Addressing the press at the time in his capacity as Army spokesperson, Enenche said images and videos from the scene of the Lekki “massacre” were photoshopped and cropped.
“These videos were cropped and photoshopped.
“If not that I am not permitted, I would have forwarded it to you. Up till this morning, I got analysts to analyse the videos and they said it was cropped and put together,” he said in the now-trending Arise TV video.
Tweeps react
Social media users have expressed disappointment over the development, with some saying they will withdraw their support for Obi–who has become perhaps the biggest beneficiary of the post #EndSARS movement.
@Egi_nupe_ tweeted, “MC Olumo during the rally for BAT(Tinubu) in Lagos said nobody died at Lekki during #EndSARS and we all know what happened on Twitter that day. I want to see what will happen to Maj Gen John Enenche (retd) that called Lekki Massacre “photoshopped” but his name is on the LP PCC.”
@Esteembehemoth also said, “I am of the opinion that Major Gen. John Enenche (retd.) should be made to either tender a public apology for the role he played during the #EndSars struggle or be forced to resign.”
@Uzochi_O tweeted, “My own beef with the Peter Obi PCC is the inclusion of Gen. John Enenche (Rtd). Much as his inclusion is strategic and might come with some weight, I won’t forget his role in the #EndSARS massacre. He was the one who said DJ Switch’s IG live was photoshop. I can’t forgive that.”
Reacting to the social media outrage, the chief spokesperson for the LP Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, in a tweet on Thursday said that the party had taken note of the observations and would make necessary adjustments.
“The Campaign Council in synergy with the Labour Party have noted all the issues raised on Obi-Datti Campaign Council list released on the 12th October, 2022. We assure you we will do the needful and an updated list will be released soon,” he tweeted.
Latest reports say the controversial ex-General has been yanked off Obi’s campaign list.
A reliable source within the Labour Party who spoke to Quest Times on Thursday night on condition of anonymity, said the embattled ex-General has now been removed from the party’s campaign council list.
“I can authoritatively confirm to you that he (Retd. General Enenche) has been removed from the list,” the source confided.