LP Endorses PCC List, Says Inclusion of Union Leaders a Mistake

Emameh Gabriel in Abuja

The leadership of Labour Party, yesterday, endorsed the list of its Presidential Campaign Council released on Wednesday as the authentic list to prosecute its 3023 presidential election campaigns.
This is as the party explained that the inclusion of members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) as members of its campaign council was an oversight.

This came after the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Arabambi, kicked against the composition of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council yesterday, declaring it null and void, noting that the list didn’t reflect the true position of the party and its manifesto.
Also, in new development, the party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have been dragged to court by a factional group of the party demanding compensation of N500m.

Labour Party’s position was contained in a communique read at a press conference in Abuja by its National Chairman, Julius Abure, after an expanded NWC meeting, held in Abuja to review its political activities in recent time and resolved some salient issues raised by some of its aggrieved members.

Abure said it was in the strength of the above, “that the Presidential Campaign Council has been dully announced with representation across all States, Tribes and Faith. Labour Party hereby announces the endorsement of the Campaign Council.”
He acknowledged that some omissions and misplacement of some names in the “Campaign Council which will be corrected and a supplementary list be released before the inauguration of the Council.  

Also corrected was the inclusion of members of NLC and TUC members in the Campaign list.
“The expanded NWC reaffirms that the National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure is a diligent administrator and the effect of his expertise is felt by every members of the party and therefore urge him to continue with the good work of leading the Party to victory come 2023.
“Labour Party is fully ready, and all parameters to prosecute  the election in 2023, has been put in place and as of moment, we are consolidating the momentum that will help us establish a new Nigeria come may 29th 2023. We also further make it clear that Labour Party enjoys a robust relationship with the new Campaign Council, said Abuja.

Earlier, in another press briefing, leaders and allies of the National Consultative Front, NCFront, an umbrella platform of the 3rd Force Movements and members of the Rescue Nigeria Movement, have accused the leadership of the party, including Obi, of an attempt to sideline them in the scheme of things.  
The group said it was for this reasons, its members had considered it necessary and timely to let the public, the Nigeria people know the kind of personality and people they are dealing with and to equally exercise our fundamental human right, the right to seek legal redress over gross injustice allegedly done them.

Speaking at a World Press conference also held in Abuja, leader of the Rescue Nigeria Movement, Sheikh Rufai Al-Siddiq, said members of the group were compelled to make public the sad experience their leader, Oluwadare Faduri Joseph, after ceding its presidential ambition to Peter Obi, was left in the sidelines after exhausting all avenues to be compensated for all his pre-campaign expenses.

“It may interest you to note that His Excellency Oluwadare Fadure Joseph, is one of the first loyal party members to seek the 2023 Presidential nomination from the party. In fact, Labour Party became our baby as we woke up the sleeping party, using his personal resources and that of the members of Res Movement.
“We absolved millions of our committed followers into Labour Party across the country to Kick start a party that had been moribund for a while and we championing the Compass of the Party as stipulated the Labour Party guidelines.

“Our principal bought the Presidential Form with the sum of N30 million to participate in the party’s Presidential Primaries. Unfortunately, he was restricted from participating in the presidential primary election after purchasing the form with a fabricated kangaroo consensus of Mr Peter Obi, as forced by the party

“Is on record that His Excellency, Faduri Oluwadare Joseph, was forced to step down for Peter Obi under duress. With proof that will be released to the public when time comes.

“This is coming more than five months after the Asaba convention, up till now, Labour Party refuses to reach out to His Excellency Oluwadare Faduri Joseph or compensate him of the over N500,000 000 (Five Hundred million naira) he spent on intent/Nomination forms, Contact/Mobilizations and Reviving the party nationally. Not only that, they succeeded in frustrating every attempt we made for settlement after forcing His Excellency Oluwadare Faduri Joseph under duress to step down for Mr. Obi.”

But Abure has said no agreement reached at any point as every aspirant, who contested on party’s platform voluntarily withdrew from the race for Peter Obi, whom he said was a political capital.

He said he understood that this were campaign period, where the opposition parties could induce such agitations but he would appeal to every party faithful to rally round Obi to win next year’s presidential election first, and then there could be ground for compensation for all those who contributed to the success of the party.