The Labour Party’s National Caretaker Committee (LP-NCC) has expressed unwavering support for its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, amid his participation in ongoing coalition talks aimed at unseating the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
The party in a statement signed by Ken Asogwa, Special Adviser (Media) to the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, dismissed claims that Obi was acting unilaterally in engaging with opposition political figures.
“The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to reports circulating in some sections of the media suggesting that certain former members of our party, led by the suspended chairman, Barr. Julius Abure, have voiced disapproval over the participation of our 2023 presidential candidate, His Excellency Peter Obi, in the ongoing coalition movement aimed at rescuing Nigeria from the failed APC administration in 2027,” the statement began.
“To be clear, the National Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party, under the able leadership of Distinguished Senator Nenadi Usman, expressly approved and endorsed Peter Obi’s participation in the ongoing patriotic convergence of well-meaning Nigerians committed to dismantling the rudderless Tinubu administration.”
The LP-NCC emphasized that Obi’s vision of a united front to address hunger, insecurity, and poor governance aligns with the core principles of the Labour Party.
According to Asogwa, “It is worth reiterating that Obi has consistently maintained that his interest lies solely in a coalition focused on eradicating hunger, insecurity, and poor governance – a vision that aligns squarely with the founding principles and aspirations of the Labour Party.”
The statement also took a swipe at Julius Abure and his allies, questioning their motivations and describing their actions as those of “impostors masquerading as party leaders.”
“One is left wondering whose agenda Julius Abure and his cohorts have truly been advancing. Is it that they disagree with Obi and the Labour Party that Nigeria is presently facing an unprecedented crisis requiring collective action to salvage?” Asogwa queried.
The LP-NCC reiterated that Peter Obi remains the party’s standard-bearer and reserves the right to contest the 2027 presidential election under its platform.
“While the Labour Party wholeheartedly welcomes the coalition movement driven by the Nigerian people, we also reaffirm Peter Obi’s unequivocal right to contest the 2027 elections under the Labour Party platform – should the ongoing coalition efforts fail to materialise,” Asogwa stated.
The party also denounced the “purported 2024 national convention” held by the Abure-led faction as illegitimate, citing the Supreme Court’s judgment which declared the exercise unlawful.
“In the meantime, it is rather comical that Abure and his band of entertainers continue to peddle the narrative of a purported 2024 national convention which was self-convened, unlawful, and ultimately denounced by the Supreme Court of Nigeria as illegal,” the statement added.
“The repeated reference to this so-called convention is not only misleading but also a flagrant contempt of the Supreme Court’s judgment and should be treated as such by the appropriate legal authorities.”
The party urged Nigerians and the media to rely solely on communications from the office of the National Caretaker Committee for authentic information.
“For authentic and authoritative information regarding the Labour Party, the public is urged to rely solely on communications from the office of the National Caretaker Committee led by Distinguished Senator Nenadi Usman.”
