The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has said its 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, might be disqualified from seeking the party’s presidential ticket in 2027 if he continues to associate with other political platforms.
The party is embroiled in a leadership crisis, with parallel factions led by Abure and Usman Nenadi. Obi is aligned with the Usman group.
The factional National Secretary, Mr. Umar Farouk Ibrahim, told Trust TV that no individual has an automatic claim to the party’s presidential ticket, and warned that Obi must fully align with the party to remain eligible.
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He said Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Obi’s 2023 running mate is qualified to contest for the presidency as much as Obi.
“But, if those people don’t come back to us, they lose that opportunity. There’s no way you’ll continue to romance with other political parties and then still come back with one leg in the Labour Party, no, ab initio, you may be disqualified.
“He (Baba-Ahmed) has shown the capacity that is expected of a true politician. So, it is his duty now to go and talk to his master, or to his boss: ‘Look, this is what we are supposed to do.’ If he decides to follow him.”
He added that Baba-Ahmed might step aside if Obi chooses to run again.
“As long as Obi comes and says he is going to contest, Datti may not go against him. But if both of them decide to run, we will give them an open playing ground.”
Meanwhile, Senator Nenadi Usman faction has denied an alleged one-million-man-march planned protest by the party to “violently overthrow the Bola Tinubu administration.”
Ken Asogwa, Senior Special Adviser, Media, to the Interim National Chairman of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman, made this known in a statement yesterday in Abuja.
According to him, the attention of the Labour Party has been drawn to a malicious petition addressed to the National Security Adviser, allegedly authored by Abayomi Arabambi, who parades himself as the spokesman of the party.
“In the said petition, Arabambi accused prominent leaders of the Labour Party, including Mr Peter Obi, Joe Ajaero and Senator Victor Umeh of planning the protest.
“Others he listed include Prof. Theophilius Ndubuaku and Dr Yunusa Tanko, of plotting a violent overthrow of the Bola Tinubu administration under the guise of organising a “One Million Man March.”
He further alleged that the said protest, scheduled for July 30, was aimed at reclaiming the former national secretariat of the party currently occupied by the erstwhile chairman, Julius Abure, at Utako, Abuja. “Let it be stated unequivocally that the leadership of the Labour Party is not aware of any planned protest anywhere in Nigeria under the auspices of the party.
“We have neither authorised nor sanctioned any individual or group to march on the streets in the name of reclaiming a property the party has long abandoned.”
Asogwa said as a law-abiding political party, following the Supreme Court’s ruling of April 4 which affirmed Sen.Nenadi Usman’s leadership, the party had formally notified relevant law enforcement agencies to enforce the judgement.
“Regrettably, the inertia of these agencies forced the party to relocate to a new and more secure location. Since then, the party has moved on, fully focused on its core mission.
“It is, therefore, laughable and deeply suspicious for anyone to insinuate that the Labour Party intends to forcibly reclaim a building it no longer uses.
“What is, however, more alarming is the fictitious and irresponsible allegation of a planned coup d’état against the Tinubu administration, a claim suspiciously lumped with this so-called one million man march.
“How an alleged protest to reclaim a party office translates to a violent toppling of a sitting government beats the imagination of any right-thinking Nigerian.”
Asogwa said it was a “reckless lie” and desperate attempt to frame up respected leaders of the Labour Party in a phoney plot to destabilise the nation.
He added that it was a throwback to a dark era when individuals were roped into phantom coup plots simply for opposing the government of the day.
“We are already aware that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have begun harassing key party officials on the strength of this concocted tale. We warn that this path is a slippery slope that endangers our democracy.
“The Labour Party, therefore, calls on all security agencies to thoroughly investigate this malicious petition and unmask the true faces behind this sinister agenda to heat up the polity through deceit, misinformation and fear.
“We remain committed to the rule of law and democratic principles, and we urge the Nigerian people to see through this poorly scripted political drama for what it truly is, an act of cowardice and desperation.”
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