Obi, Abure and Otti
By Amah
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According to Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the National Secretary of the faction Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election,
“As a member of our party, we sincerely do not wish to join issues with Mr. Obi. But for his penchant to constantly misinform Nigerians on the real reasons for the crisis in the party—knowing that virtually all other parties are facing one form of crisis or another—we sincerely hope he should introspect and move away from this ill-conceived narrative,” Ibrahim said.
“It is, therefore, pertinent to put on record that the problem with the Labour Party was not created by the ruling party (APC). Rather, the problem in the Labour Party was created and sustained by Peter Obi and Dr. Alex Otti, the governor of Abia State, who is presently serving a suspension for anti-party activities.
“We dare Obi to produce any tangible or intangible evidence which suggests, remotely or otherwise, that the Abure leadership of the Labour Party is in bed with the APC-led government.
“Nobody is infallible, and it behoves anyone who makes mistakes to be bold enough to own it. When good leaders fail, they should own up to their responsibilities.
“Obi failed in providing leadership for the party. He should own up to his mistakes. It is therefore shameful for Peter Obi and Dr. Alex Otti to continue accusing the government of infiltrating the Labour Party and thereby demarketing the party.
“This same government was in existence in 2022 when the party got six aspirants, including Prof. Pat Utomi, to step down for Peter Obi as the party’s candidate.
“The government was in existence when the party crisscrossed all the nooks and crannies of the country, including insecurity-prone areas, campaigning for Peter Obi in 2022 and 2023.
“The government was in existence when National Chairman Julius Abure traveled across Europe and the United States to galvanize support for Peter Obi.
“The government was also in existence when the party leadership mobilized its members across the states, leading to over six million votes during the election.
“It was the same leadership—now accused of being infiltrated—that stood with Peter Obi throughout the tribunal process and up to the Supreme Court.
“The same Abure appeared in court more than Obi, refusing to be cowed when a splinter group attempted to hijack the process.
“The government was in existence when Peter Obi and Dr. Alex Otti were given sole tickets for 2027, even against the status book.
“For the record, there was no problem in the Labour Party until Peter Obi and Dr. Alex Otti went to Umuahia, Abia State, to create an illegal and unconstitutional caretaker committee that polarized the party. May I ask—was it the ruling party that sent Obi and Otti to Umuahia to create division?
“They were also aware that the courts—from the lower courts up to the Supreme Court—clearly affirmed the party’s leadership. Yet Peter Obi and Alex Otti surreptitiously plotted to hijack the party’s leadership by instigating division.
“Again, is it the government in power that created the division or forced them to march to INEC headquarters to exhibit their ignorance?”
According to him: “For Peter Obi to be responding to the comment where the National Chairman referred to the governor as ‘dwarfy in knowledge,’ we want to state clearly that there is no action without a reaction.
“The National Chairman was merely responding to a pejorative comment made by the governor, wherein he referred to the National Chairman as ‘masturbating.’
“The governor neither retracted nor apologized for that reckless statement. He showed utter disrespect to the constituted authority of the party—the same man who helped him achieve his ambition of becoming governor.
“If the governor is not limited in knowledge, he would have appreciated the import of the Supreme Court judgment which practically resolved the crisis in the party. But these men were blinded by their inordinate desire to wrest control of the party from the present leadership.
“The party leadership has moved on since the Supreme Court judgment. We are working hard to reposition the party, restore confidence in our members, and prevent the membership hemorrhage being witnessed across virtually all opposition parties in Nigeria today.
“We therefore believe it is improper for any party member who means well to continue making such unguided statements.
“Labour Party will never go into any alliance with another party to betray our candidates. We had every opportunity to do so in 2023, but we chose to stand by Peter Obi and even Alex Otti—before and after the general election—even when their matters were in court. We remained consistent because of the bigger picture.”
“Now that they have failed in their plot to dislodge a lawful leadership, they have resorted to blackmail instead of showing gratitude,” he said.
“One takeaway from Obi’s interview is that he has acknowledged Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.
“We therefore call on Peter Obi and other aggrieved members of the party to understand and accept that Barrister Julius Abure’s leadership has come to stay—and nothing can change that.”
