Coalition: Peter Obi Has Our Full Support, Says Nenadi-led Labour Party

The Labour Party National Caretaker Committee (LP-NCC) has declared its full support for Peter Obi’s involvement in the ongoing opposition coalition talks aimed at challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.

In a statement signed by Ken Asogwa, the Special Adviser (Media) to the LP-NCC Chairperson, Senator Nenadi Usman, the party dismissed claims that Obi, its 2023 presidential candidate, was engaging in the coalition discussions without official party support.

“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 read.

“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 party described Obi’s actions as consistent with its values and mission, noting that his push for collaboration was driven by a shared goal of addressing Nigeria’s deep-rooted socio-economic issues.

“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 LP-NCC noted.

The statement took aim at the factional chairman of LP, Julius Abure, and his supporters, labelling them as expelled individuals lacking the authority to speak for the party.

“It is therefore baffling that individuals who have been shown the exit door for their anti-party activities now seek to question a move so clearly rooted in national interest. One is left wondering whose agenda Julius Abure and his cohorts have truly been advancing,” Asogwa stated.

He added, “Is it that they disagree with Obi and the Labour Party that Nigeria is presently facing an unprecedented crisis requiring collective action to salvage?”

The LP-NCC reaffirmed Peter Obi’s eligibility to run in 2027 under the Labour Party platform, even if the coalition talks do not lead to a unified front.

“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.”

The committee also criticised the faction’s insistence on the legitimacy of the 2024 national convention reportedly organised by Abure’s group, stating that the Supreme Court had already declared it illegal.

“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. 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 statement said.

The LP-NCC, therefore, urged the public to disregard any statements from the Abure-led faction, stressing that only communications from the Usman-led committee should be considered credible.

“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,” Asogwa advised.