WE ARE NOT LEAVING LABOUR PARTY ...We Are Going To Work With The NLC, TUC, Civil Society & Others To Move The Party & Nigeria Forward - PETER GREGORY OBI Maryanne Idoko-Ayo Reporting Live...

          

WE ARE NOT LEAVING  LABOUR PARTY

...We Are Going To Work With The NLC, TUC, Civil Society & Others To Move The Party & Nigeria Forward - PETER GREGORY OBI 

Maryanne Idoko-Ayo Reporting Live...

The Presidential candidate of the labour party in the 2023 Presidential elections in Nigeria Mr Peter Obi have said that he and all his supporters are not leaving the party as was expected by some politicians.

He said the labour party is like every other political party that can have internal issues which is not a crime.

In his words, he said; "There is no political party in the world that doesn't have an internal issue" 

What matters most is how fast these issues are resolved for the good of the party and its members so therefore the labour party is not to be seen different. 

As a political party everybody must not accept to fly on a decision taken by the party but the issues

Mr Peter Obi
Presidential Candidate
Labour Party 

can be resolved. 

Labour party has come to stay no matter what anybody thinks.

The politics of Nigeria have experienced so much change when we used the labour party platform and we shall continue to remain members of the party to scatter the criminal activities in our political arena and elections because this is a major problem that the nation is facing leading to poor economic policies and high level of poverty in the land. 

Peter Obi said the people causing all the problems in Nigeria are not more than five mission persons put together which is not up to the numbers of good people Nigeria has today. So therefore the good people in Nigeria can override the numbers of the bad ones if we can continue to be of good behavior in carrying out our duties as citizens of our dear nation.

Peter Obi also talked about how the obidient movement must be restructured so they can be much note effected in the mobilisation of the people towards good governance and respect for the rule of law.

Peter Obi asked the Obidient movement members to stay away from the attack of persons in politics, using the national chairman of the labour party Barrister Julius Abure as an example.

In his words, "We must give respect to those who deserve it, Julius Abure is our chairman and we must not be seen using wrong and abusive words on him or anyone in particular" he is our chairman and must be accorded respect and honor so that we too can be honoured and respected when power rolls to our side in the future.

Barrister Julius Abure
National Chairman
Labour Party Nigeria

We shall work with the leadership of Barrister Julius Abure, the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress nlc, the TUC and all Civil Society Organisations across Nigeria to continue building the labour until we dismantle the criminal cartel in our political arena and elections. 

We are members of the labour party and will do everything we can to talk with everyone on how we can be a family and move forward.

Labour is our party and we will do everything we can to help move it forward. 

In his words, Peter Obi said; "We are members of the labour party and we shall not abandon it for no reason, all these issues are arising because of me, the enemies of Nigeria are the ones fueling the problem so that we won't be able to build and rebuild a solid house ahead of the 2027 general  elections"

With this nothing tells you anything more than to say they have failed on arrival.

Barrister Olumide Akpata
Labour Party Edo state
  Governorship Candidate.       

Let us all come together to save Nigeria by uniting ahead of all these issues so that our enemies will know that their time is up. 

We shall rebuild our nation and nothing will stop us now. 

For you my Obidient people worldwide I say a big thank you for finding time to come out on election day to vote for me and the labour party.

We won that elections and you must look back to that same action not relenting to repeat even more when the time arises come 2027 if God is willing.

We have dome well as a people already a and we shall do more to capture power for the good of our people. 

Democracy is all about the people and without the people it doesn't make sense. 

We did it in 2023 and we shall do better come 2027 because if we don't allow the right thing to be done now it will affect the nation in time.

Peter Gregory Obi

And on the issues of the Edo state governorship election peter Obin asked the Obidient movement to come all out to support barrister olumide akpata to become the 2024 governor so that the Edo state people can be able to enjoy the same good governance that the Abia state people have started enjoying today with Governor Alex Otti so far.

Dr Alex Otto
Abia state Governor

As members of the Obidient Movement and again the labour party, we must make sure that everything we do reflects good character and positive behavior both on social media space and in the public. 

We must stop name calling so that we don't grow a generation of people who just insult people on issues of allegations without any evidence.

On the issues of people said to have taken money belonging to the campaign, I will say we shall not go ahead with any audit again because anything that will cause more issues will not be given the opportunity to continue. 

We rather spend more time in correcting our mistakes so we can do more in creating policies for the opportunities needed in rebuilding our education sector so that our children can get out of the streets to be reformed. 

We have up to five million out of school children with a high number of them in the northern part of Nigeria and we have taken it upon ourselves to find lasting solutions to the issue.

Finally I ask you all to come together as a family so we can move our nation forward for the good of our people.

Nigeria must change for good and that good must come from you the people. 

The people of Senegal have done a good job by electing a young person as their President and that is a practical start off for that country. This is the same time we must start doing in Nigeria. We must see other nations doing the best they can to move their nation forward. We too a s a people must do the same to grow a new Nigeria of our dreams.

    

https://youtu.be/OAM_IFaz9W4?si=ZLDlutnMNq_XUQsp

JULIUS ABURE ELECTED LABOUR PARTY NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, AS TUC, CIVIL SOCIETY & OTHERS ENDORSE NEW LEADERSHIP TO SECURE DEMOCRACY ABURE WINS TO LEAD LABOUR PARTY FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AGAINST ALL BATTLES TO REMOVE HIM AS CHAIRMAN... Hamza Ibrahim Dauda Reporting Live...

JULIUS ABURE ELECTED LABOUR PARTY NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, AS TUC, CIVIL SOCIETY & OTHERS ENDORSE NEW LEADERSHIP TO SECURE DEMOCRACY

ABURE WINS TO LEAD LABOUR PARTY FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AGAINST ALL BATTLES TO REMOVE HIM AS CHAIRMAN...

Hamza Ibrahim Dauda Reporting Live...

With all the struggles to take over the labour party by the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC leadership and others, the Labour Party LP finally arrived at their official national convention producing a new leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.

The national convention was held at the grand season hotel in Nnewi, Anambra state south east Nigeria electing the national executive officers to pilot the affairs of the party for the next four years.

The convention had the best security ever in the history of its national convention with the DSS, police and military in session to secure aspirants, delegates and other party stock holders to deliberate and duty bound to present its new national leadership.

The new national chairman of the labour party Barrister Julius Abure, was returned as the leader of the national council on his official first tenor after completing the term of the late Abdulsalam who did not finish his four years before he died.

Julius Abure as national chairman of the  party have shown that he has full control of the party from the ward, LGAs and state level following the way he was totally voted for by all in session. 

Abure was voted into office by every delegate at the event with all hands up from the back, middle and front of the hall with a loud shout of unopposed, carry go and you are a leader.

The attendance of the convention was good as the executive Governor of Abia State in person of the capacity Governor Alex Otto represented by his deputy Governor, standing as the chairman of the convention.

The national convention also enjoyed the attendance of a good number of members of state houses of assembly, federal houses of representatives, senators and commissioners around Nigeria.

The 36 states and the federal capital territory abuja sent in their complete delegate list from all over the nation.

The convention was the most successful in the labour party's history and its produced leaders that are men and women with capacity and integrity to serve the party and the people of  Nigeria.

The convention went straight to giving the new national executive council the opportunity to  take their oats of office to begin work as the new leadership of the labour as approved by the constitution of the party.

It is also said in different quarters across Nigeria after the national convention, the Barrister Julius Abure national executive council will lead the labour for the next four years which will also usher the  party to capturing Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections with Peter Obi as Presidential Candidate if he's still interested in running under the labour party respectively.

With the return of barrister Julius abure as the national chairman of the labour party signifies that abure has the political influence to run the party, its members and supporters worldwide because with the kind of fight given to him to resign before the convention was enough for anyone to let go; but we saw an Abure who won all court cases to remove him from office over time making him the Nigeria's most popular national chairman of any political party in nigeria. We therefore nickname Barrister Julius Abure as the "POLITICAL CAT OF NIGERIA WITH NINE LIVES"

The Convention elected the following National Officers:

LIST OF ELECTED NATIONAL OFFICERS

1. National Chairman - Julius Abure

2. Deputy National Chairman  -  Mr. Clement Ojukwu

3. Deputy National Chairman -  Dr. Ayo Olunrufemi

4. Deputy National Chairman (NLC) - VACANT

5. Deputy National Chairman (TUC) - VACANT

6. Deputy National Chairman  - VACANT

7. National Vice Chairman NC -  Abraham Idoko

8. National Vice Chairman SE -  Ceekay Igara

9. National Vice Chairman SS -  Anthony C. Ezeagwu

10. National Secretary -  Alhaji Umar farouk Ibrahim

11. Deputy National Secretary  -  Rotimi Kehinde Adekunle

12. Deputy National Secretary  -  Innocent Okeke

13. National Treasurer -  Mrs Ngozi Doga

14. National Financial Secretary -  Dayo Ekong

15. National Publicity Secretary -  Mr. Ifoh Obiora

16. National Organizing Secretary -  Comrade Yahuza Ahmed

17. National Legal Adviser -  Barr. Kehinde Edun

18. National Women leader -  Mrs. Dudu Manuga

19. National Youth Leader -  Prince Kennedy Ihanotu

20. Assistant National Youth Leader NW  - Abdulrahman Chindo

21. Assistant National Youth Leader SS  - Dr Barry Auotu Johnson 1st

The Convention in session empowers the National Working Committee (NWC) to fill existing vacancies in the NWC and NEC.

OBIDIENTS IN EDO STATE OFFICIALLY DECLARES SUPPORT FOR OLUMIDE AKPATA AS EDO GOVERNOR AHEAD OF ELECTIONS ...LABOUR PARTY HAS OUR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE BECAUSE WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A FORCE IN EDO STATE Abubakar Usman Momoh Reporting live...

OBIDIENTS IN EDO STATE OFFICIALLY DECLARES SUPPORT FOR OLUMIDE AKPATA AS EDO GOVERNOR AHEAD OF ELECTIONS

...LABOUR PARTY HAS OUR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE BECAUSE WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A FORCE IN EDO STATE

Abubakar Usman Momoh Reporting live...

It has come to our notice that over the weekend a press briefing was made by a fake and impersonating alleged group discovered to be working for the all progressive congress APC candidate in Edo state. 

In their said briefing they stated that the labour party in Edo state organized an unaccepted primary elections which was a lie from the pit of hell.

That same primary elections that was recorded as the most peaceful and well organised event can't be discarded by any person because a particular aspirant did not come out tops.

The world saw that same primary election as the best ever Edo state primary election organized in the history of state governorship election. It was peaceful and rancorously free. Every aspirant organised themselves perfectly and the event was even televised with a live broadcast on more than three (3) international television stations across Nigeria and the world.

Our question to those who are parading the streets with the fake news that the election was characterised with monetisation which did not happen is that why did they not address the press immediately after the elections so the world would know what happened at the event. They must have collected money from the APC to do these dastardly act to discredit the image of the labour party and its governorship candidate. 

It was even said that even the EFCC, DSS and the Police were witnesses to the successful hosting of the elections respectively.

It is only in Nigeria that the right thing will be done and afterwards you will see people who are shameless come up with lies to discredit the values that comes with such outings. 

These particular group calling themselves the Edo Obidients are fake, criminals and liars as far as we are concerned because the true Obidients in Edo state will never address the media and pass a vote of no confidence on the labour party or our great candidate Barrister Olumide Akpata who is already seen as the next governor of Edo state.

If its not that the APC is afraid of the LP Olumide Akpata's political gate why would they be doing all these and more. 

The APC is paying up young hungry persons in edo to disguise as members of the Edo Obidient group to endorse their governorship candidate ahead of the elections and that will not work because that action is fake and criminal in nature.

The real members of the Obidient Movement Worldwide held a media briefing in Benin city at Orupkota hall Monday 25th and addressed the press, asking the people of Edo state to disregard the statement rolling in the news that the Edo Obidient group has disassociated themselves from the labour party, discredit the candidacy of the next governor of Edo state Barrister Olumide Akpata and pass a vote of no confidence on the Edo labour party, Edo people please this is not true. 

We are the real Obidient members and we are using this opportunity to tell the world that we attended the labour party Edo state governorship election held in Benin city and as witness, we state here in that the election was well organised and that the winner was Barrister Olumide Akpata and the national chairman barrister Julius Abure, the national working committee of the party and all other aspirants in that same election have already congratulated him as winner so we don't know where these fake news is coming from at this time when parties are supposed to be rolling out ideas on how to startegise to win elections.

We also ask the APC and the PDP to stay clear from the activities of the labour party in Edo state because it will be a criminal conspiracy to attempt any disturbance as the labour party will soon kick start its campaign to ask for votes from the Edo people which they already have as waiting votes from the people. 

Edo state people must understand that it is time to stand up strongly and vote for a man and a party that has the capacity and credibility to move the state forward. 

The press was addressed by the director of political affairs Dr Barry Avotu Johnson 1st on behalf of all obidients worldwide.

In his speech he went ahead to state that the labour party has come to stay in Edo state and there is nothing anybody can do to stop the will of the Edo people from coming to pass.

The Edo people have already spoken and the voice of the people remains the voice of God Almighty.

Barrister Akpata is loved by the Edo people because he decided to run for the seat of the Edo governor using a credible platform like the labour party and on this note it is very clear that the people will speak on election day and nothing can stop them.

The people of Edo state must know that any attempt to rig the Edo state governorship election by the APC or PDP will not work; coming with the clue of the 2023 Presidential election said to be rigged by inec, judiciary, police and the APC will put Edo state on the map of unrest because the last election to have been rigged in Nigeria will remain the 2023 Presidential election that was won by Peter Obi who is addressed as the peoples President today.

We the Obidients and the Edo people must resist any planned rigging and must stand up against every election and political criminalities in this election.

The future of Edo state lays in the results of the elections because if the people don't come out to vote for Olumude Akpata of the labour party the state will remain in the hands of these political crooks that have plundered Edo over the years. 

Dr Barry Avotu Johnson 1st reminded the media and the people of Edo state that; we are the people who voted for Peter Obi and the labour party in 2023 in Edo state and we are saying we are still here to repeat the same fate again by coming out to vote for our own Barrister Olumide Akpata and the labour party to take over Edo for the good of our people and democracy.

The labour party and Barrister Olumide Akpata will get our votes, so we call on all our youths, women, aged persons and professionals across the state to get ready for the biggest showdown campaign ever in history.

The campaign will start very soon and what you must do as Obidients and great Edo state people is to mobilize yourselves from the north, south and central of the state to be together as a family on the streets to ask the people to join us to vote for Labour party so we can win with a landslide; where going to court to challenge our victory would be too disgracing for them at the end. 

We call on all Obidients and the great people of Edo state to note that we the Obidients are hereby telling the world that we have total respect and confidence on the leadership of the labour party in the national and Edo state, we officially endorsed the Edo state governorship primary elections and also join hands with the party to present and vote for Barrister Olumide Akpata as our 2024 governor.

Infact, see this media conference as the event where we, the real and true Obidients have passed a vote of confidence on the Edo and national labour party for conducting a peaceful, freest, fairest, most credibly and accepted primary election in the Edo state political history without any rancour.

This is our official endorsement and we ask the world to join us as we get ready for the biggest campaign of all times. 

Dr Barry Avotu Johnson ended his media address by calling in all security authorities in Edo state to brace up to protection of the people before, during and after the campaign proper so that all party members can come out peacefully to campaign for their best preferred choice candidates. 

Dr Barry Avotu Johnson 1st also doubles as the Country Director for the 'Votes Must Count International Initiative' VMCII, one of the forefront civil society organisations that declared the 2023 Presidential election in Nigeria rigged by inec in collaborations with the security agencies and the APC respectively without fear or favour.

The Obidient Movement Worldwide remains the Nigeria's newest political movement opposition and their votes remains via the ballot paper on the name and logo of the labour party as far as Peter Gregory Obi remains in the labour party.

So therefore, Barrister Olumide Akpata will surely enjoy the same vote support that Peter Obi received in the 2023 Presidential elections. 

Barrister Akpata remains the only choice of the Obidient Movement Worldwide in Edo state in respective of whatever media briefing hosted by any fake and impersonating elements of disunity.

LABOUR PARTY BELONGS TO THE NIGERIAN PEOPLE AND NOT THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS ...APC AND BOLA TINUBU TRYING TO USE NLC PRESIDENT JOE AJAERO TO DESTROY LABOUR PARTY Usman Mohammed Reporting from Abuja live...

LABOUR PARTY BELONGS TO THE NIGERIAN PEOPLE AND NOT THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS

...APC AND BOLA TINUBU TRYING TO USE NLC PRESIDENT JOE AJAERO TO DESTROY LABOUR PARTY

Usman Mohammed Reporting from Abuja live...

National Chairman of Labour Party, LP, Comrade Julius Abure speaks on the picketing of party secretariat by the NLC on Wednesday.  

What we saw was a show of shame, a show of rascality, an abuse of office and an abuse of the law of the land. 

Nigeria Labour congress is subject to the law. 

NLC under Joe Ajaero is not above the law and the law precludes Ajaero and the leadership of NLC to take law into their hands. 

Where they besieged the office, broke the fence, destroy the gates, unlawfully took possession of the Secretariat and destroyed properties worth millions of naira. Properties stolen including monies made for the payment of salaries and other official purposes. 

This is unfortunate. It is becoming unbecoming. 

I must state today that the leadership of NLC under Joe Ajaero is on the part of destroying the successes we have recorded in the 2023 general election.

I had expected that as a responsible trade union centre, a responsible labour leader; he should have teamed up with Labour Party to see how we can team up together to make the country better. 

Unfortunately and ironically too, the NLC is the one that is on the part of war against Labour Party. 

I must state clearly that Ajaero as NLC President has not been able to organise a successful strike action. 

Not even a single protest or even picketing government establishment in order to bring government to accede to the numerous requests of workers. 

As we speak, there are unfair labour practices meted out to workers by several organisations in the country. 

I have not seen Joe Ajaero go to such organisations to picket them.

Over the past few years, NLC has been claiming ownership of Labour Party

Comrade Joe Ajaero
NLC President

. 

l must state clearly that NLC is not the owner of Labour Party. 

The party is not owned by NLC. 

The law is very clear that you cannot picket an organisation where you do not have your workers. 

We are not the employers of NLC and they don’t have the legitimate reason to picket our office.

We have no trade union dispute with NLC, there is no notice issued to us that we have a trade union dispute with NLC. 

This is clearly an abuse of office and abuse of the laws of the land.

Barrister Julius Abure
Labour Party National Chairman

Let me also state here that the propaganda they have been carrying around that we are planning a secret convention is totally false. 

The NEC met April 2023 in Asaba and granted the permission that the convention must hold in one year. 

We started planning for the Convention since then. 

We communicated INEC as requested by the law. We have also informed all the stakeholders including NLC. 

I have discussed the issue with Ajaero on several occasions. 

Comrade Joe Ajaero

NLC on their own has written to INEC on several occasions on the need to hold the convention, we are surprised that the same INEC is the one that is asking that convention should not hold again. 

He has ulterior motives and we will not allow him to hijack the party.

Mr Peter Gregory Obi
Labour Party 2023
Presidential Candidate 

OBIORA IFOH

National Publicity Secretary 

Labour Party.

RESIGN AS NLC PRESIDENT TO CONTEST LP CHAIRMANSHIP, LABOUR PARTY ADVISES JOE AJERO ...As Party Convention Holds 27 March, Constitution Clear on Eligible Participants

BREAKING NEWS:

OFFICIAL PRESS STATEMENT

RESIGN AS NLC PRESIDENT TO CONTEST LP CHAIRMANSHIP, LABOUR PARTY ADVISES JOE AJERO

...As Party Convention Holds  27 March, Constitution Clear on Eligible Participants

The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to a Press Release titled 'A misadventure in political mischief, mismanagement and misdemeanor gone too far' written by the NLC's Political Commission as an agent of the Nigeria Labour Congress. The NLC letter did not come to us as a surprise or a shock, it was long expected before now, having known that the NLC was going to engage itself on this misadventure. 

Nigerians will recall that in 2014, NLC has been involved in a war of blackmail and attrition against the Labour Party and its leadership. It was only recently, following the civil and diplomatic approach adopted by Barrister Julius Abure when he assumed leadership that he was able to get the then President of the NLC, Ayuba Waba and the then President of the Trade Union Congress, Olaleye Quadri to a truce where the NLC, TUC and Labour Party agreed to work together in harmony.

Unfortunately, the rascality of the current president of the NLC, Joe Ajero has destroyed the successes already recorded. It must be noted that the NLC and its political commission have become a bundle of contradiction and paradox.

The Nigeria Labour Congress has written several letters to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and to the party on the need to conduct a national convention. In fact, the NLC has queried even the rationale behind the one year extension which was graciously granted by the NEC in session in Asaba, which is in line with the party constitution. 

The leadership of the party in its wisdom has decided to yield to their agitation for a convocation of a national convention.

Article 14:4b of our party constitution mandates the National Secretary in consultation with the National Chairman to 'issue notices of meetings of National Convention, NEC, NWC amongst others. It is in the exercise of this power that the national chairman and national Secretary have called for the convention following the decision of the national executive council of the party. It is therefore ironical for the same NLC which has been agitating for a convention to now be demanding the rationale for the call for a convention. 

At this point, the leadership of the party wants to ask the NLC, what exactly do they want? If Joe Ajero is interested in the leadership of the party, he is therefore advised to resign as the President of the NLC and join in the contest for the National Chairmanship of the party that is scheduled for the convention on the 27th of March, 2024.

We must note that undue interference by the Nigeria Labour Congress on the affairs of the party has become worrisome and it has become needful to emphasis here the distinction that the Labour Party has a life of its own different from that of the Nigeria Labour Congress. In fact, the 1999 Constitution states clearly that once a political party is registered, it has a life of its own whereby it can run it's own affairs without any interference. 

The Electoral Act and the Constitution provide that no organisation can own any other organisation. The NLC as an organisation can not claim the ownership of the Labour Party. The constitution of the party is clear that it is only those who subscribe to the party and those who are financial members of the party are the owners of the party and therefore can have a say on the affairs of the party. 

The interference of the present leadership of the NLC on the party is really choking and we can hardly breath. It is this NLC leadership which pressured on the Party not to give His Excellency, Alex Otti the governorship ticket for the 2023 general election on the ground that he was allegedly not workers' friendly when he was a Chief Executive of a bank. But today, that same Alex Otti is doing Labour Party proud with the work he is doing in Abia state. 

Again, the same NLC attempted to prevail on the leadership of the party to upload a different candidate other than Senator Athan Achonu after he won the Imo state party primaries under the Labour Party. 

It will shock Nigerians to know that members and officials of the NLC are not even card carrying members of the Labour Party. All over the country, NLC members have been found to be supporting either the APC or the PDP.

It is again of importance to make certain clarification as to the so called judgements that were referred to by the NLC, we must indicate clearly that the Labour Party is not in default of any court judgment whatsoever. The agreement reached by the NLC to call for a convention is what we are following, we have fully implemented that agreement and the convention is in line with the agreement. We are therefore not in any default of court judgment as erroneously implied by the NLC. 

We therefore want to advise the NLC and its commission that it should focus only on its statutory responsibilities of defending the workers and the workers' right. Today minimum wage is N30.000 while a bag of rice is N80.000. We hear about NLC talk about ethos and ethics of the Labour movement and the Labour Party, this is also an NLC that cannot call or sustain a strike for one or two days without calling it off. This is an NLC which cannot think of calling a protest and sustaining it in order to get the attention of the government for the interest of the workers. 

The present NLC should take a time to listen to the opinion Nigerians have formed about them. Can the NLC of today in any way be compared to NLC of the then Hassan Sumounu, Adams Oshiohmole and a few others in the past?

We must at this point appreciate the Trade Union Congress, TUC and it's Political Commission under the leadership of Comrade Festus Osifo who stoutly refused to sign the Press Release with the NLC on the ground that it was baseless, frivolous, unrealistic and an evidence of power thirst, which to them was not necessary at this time considering the successes already achieved at the Labour Party. 

We equally want to advise Joe Ajero to emulate leadership of Ayuba Waba, Olaleye Quadri and Osifo in working closely with the party. 

The ill-intended Press Release by the Political Commission also made a reference to spurious allegations made by the suspended National treasurer, Oluchi Opara and it attempted to give it some credence. This clearly exposes the mischief by the NLC to hoodwink the people. We have stated clearly that the total money received by the party was N1.3billion and no other report has contradicted it. So for the NLC to be quoting that spurious allegations goes to show that they are part of the challenges Labour Party has been facing. 

We are shocked that NLC which was a victim of a recent harassment, threat to life and brutalization of its president would express shock over similar treatment meted to our chairman, Barrister Julius Abure who was brutalized for political reasons and nothing more. The NLC statement has it that Abure was arrested for fraud even when the police stated that the arrest was for attempted murder, which of course was a fabricated falsehood. We are shocked that the NLC which its President suffered the same fate, with bloodied face in Imo state will in one breath speak of Abure in this manner. This goes to portray the desperate characters in the current NLC. 

We must also state clearly that our leader, Peter Obi made reference to the audit of the campaign account and not forensic audit for the Labour Party. In any case, we have stated clearly that the Labour Party is open to forensic audit of its accounts. We are even calling on the NLC  to send its own external auditors to check our financial books. We are also calling on Peter Obi to expedite action on the auditing of our accounts. And for the NLC to be using this as a cheap blackmail is to show their high level of desperation and mischief. 

The conclusion of the NLC's Press Release is laughable, in fact, it didn't come to us as a surprise. It will interest Nigerians to know that the NLC has through some proxies gone to court severally to fight the leadership of the party, the most recent being the case filed by one Ado. Passing a Vote of no Confidence in the leadership of the party is laughable. It clearly shows that they neither have nor read the constitution of the party.

Article 17:1 of the party constitution is very clear on how the national chairman of the party can be removed from office. We must state clearly that it is only the National Convention that can pass a Vote of No Confidence in the leadership of the party and not the NLC who are not even members of the party. Ironically, members of the so called Political Commission who are being used by the NLC are not card carrying members of the Labour Party. I wonder how people who are staying outside a house are hoping to interfere in what is happening inside. They simply do not have both the power and the capacity to do so.

Members of the Labour Party appreciate the leadership of Barrister Julius Abure who has taken the party from obscurity to the enviable position it found itself now. It is under his leadership that the party has found limelight. Today in Labour Party, we have a governor, senators, house of representatives and assembly members amongst others. Today, Labour Party is the major opposition political party in Nigeria.  

We therefore urge the NLC to go and learn from other developing democracies across the world, how the Labour movements have given support to Labour Parties across the world in Australia, Brazil amongst others who have captured power in their countries. Such intellectual exploration has become necessary so we can collectively work towards the goods of Nigerians. There is need for us to come together and collectively fight the ruling class that has held the nation down for so long and has impoverished the nation. It makes no sense for us to be fighting ourselves. 

In conclusion, we note that the Labour Party will be going ahead with our party programs, our convention will hold. We have consulted with our stakeholders and the consultation is on going and we will continue to consult until the March 27, when the new leadership of the party will emerge. We have advised the NLC before now that party politics is played at the Ward level and not at the National level. If NLC is interested in taking the leadership of the party, they should go and engage in the mass mobilisation of its members to join the party at the grassroot. 

SIGN

Obiora Ifoh

National Publicity Secretary 

Labour Party

16-03-2024