In just a few days, Nigerians will head to the polls to vote for their next president. However, the North-East Chairmen of the Labour Party (LP) are speaking out, saying that due to alleged undemocratic internal activities of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the LP is bound to fail during the poll.
The Chairmen made these statements during a press briefing held in Abuja on February 22, 2023. Among those in attendance were Chairman Yobe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammad Bukar; the National Vice Chairman, North East, Alhaji Mohammed Alkaji, and Chairman of LP, Gombe State, and Coordinating Chairman for 36 states of the Federation, Alhaji Sani Abdulsalam, who spoke on behalf of the others.
According to Abdulsalam, Obi’s failure to recognize the important role of the 36 state chapters of the LP and instead choosing to work with cronies and support groups is the main reason for their lack of confidence in him. Additionally, he stated that monies expected to be channeled to polling unit agents through State Chairmen or National Officers have not been done, which is a fundamental need for winning elections.
Abdulsalam accused Obi of insensitivity and high-handedness, claiming that he deliberately mismanaged their goodwill with the imposition of his members and other support groups that decamped with him in May 2022 to the LP. He also stated that Obi’s actions have led to a paucity of LP’s polling unit agents, among other things.
During the press briefing, Abdulsalam revealed that during a meeting with the National Chairman, Bar Julius Abure, on February 22, 2023, they discussed logistics support for state chapters and National Officers towards effective mobilization of members for the upcoming elections. However, Abure allegedly stated that Obi has no confidence in all the 36 state chapters’ leadership and would instead choose to work with cronies and support groups that came with him.
Abdulsalam also revealed that money for agents would not be sent to any State Chairman or National Officers, except for those three NWC members, including a woman, and that all State Chairmen and 19 other members already picked by Mr. Peter Obi himself would be given monies meant for party agents. However, as of the night of February 22, 2023, no alert had been received by any State Chairmen. According to Abdulsalam, the money was paid based on ethnic and religious consideration because only persons of a particular ethnic group currently run the campaign of Mr. Peter Obi in cohort with the National Chairman, Mr. Julius Abure, which has polluted the Party.
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he Chairmen of the LP’s National Executive and National Working Committee (NWC) believe that Peter Obi cannot win the election since all party executives have been sidelined. They believe he is not ready and is grossly ill-prepared for the Presidential race. Nigerians should be aware that Peter Obi is an epitome of lies and a bundle of deceit, and he has come to destroy their beloved party.
