The camp of Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has distanced itself from Monday’s reconciliation meeting between his former running mate, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed, and the Julius Abure-led leadership.
The Labour Party has been engulfed in a leadership crisis, which intensified in April after three members insisted they were the rightful leaders of the party.
This came after the Supreme Court disqualified Julius Abure, who is recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission, as the party’s national chairman.
Lamidi Apapa further complicated the issue, insisting that as the most senior member of the Working Committee, he was the rightful man to head the party following the Supreme Court’s judgment.
Meanwhile, there is the Nenadi Usman-led faction of the party, which has the backing of the LP 2023 presidential candidate Peter Pbi and the Abia State Governor Alex Otti.
While reacting to the meeting between Abure and Datti Baba-Ahmed, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, told The PUNCH on Monday that the group remained firmly loyal to Governor Otti and the caretaker leadership headed by Senator Nenadi Usman.
“We are not aware of that particular meeting, but we are resolute. We will continue as Obidients to mobilise with His Excellency, Peter Obi. And we have also said that wherever he goes, that’s where we are going.
“Of course, Nigerians are aware, and you know very clearly that Obi is with Governor Alex Otti and the Senator Nenadi Usman caretaker committee. That is where we stand.
“Being the leader of the Obidient Movement, wherever he stands, that is where we stand. That is just what I know. We are not aware of any other arrangement.”
When informed that some notable Obidient loyalists, including Hajia Nana Kazauri, attended the meeting, Tanko clarified that she did so merely as an observer.
“She’s a sound Obidient member, and she remains one. It is necessary to make it clear so that we don’t have any form of misunderstanding. I can assure you that there is no single crack whatsoever. We stand solidly behind His Excellency, Peter Obi.
“It is also worthy to point out that there is an excellent working relationship between Datti Baba-Ahmed and Peter Obi. There is no single crack as being insinuated,” he said.
Asked whether Obi was aware of Datti’s visit to Abure, Tanko added, “As I told you before, we are not aware of such a meeting. But anybody who has a good idea or innovation to resolve the conflict for the good of everybody is at liberty to do so.”
Datti, Abure pact?
Earlier, The PUNCH reported that Datti Baba-Ahmed formally recognised Julius Abure as the authentic National Chairman of the Labour Party during a meeting of Abure’s National Executive Committee in Abuja.
“Labour Party is not a party to walk away from,” Datti said. “The successes and the history that the Labour Party of Nigeria has recorded are unique and unprecedented.”
Reflecting on the 2023 elections, he said, “We presented clear records and evidence of 10 million votes scored in the last election, thereafter reduced to 6.1 million votes. The act of state capture is a more onerous task, causing disunity and disaffection within political parties.”
Datti said his mission was to reconcile all party factions.
“I am here as a peacemaker to reconcile divergent opinions. I’m very proud to say that I did attend meetings of a certain attempt for a coalition in Nigeria. Morally speaking, if your neighbourhood invites you to discuss security, you must attend.
“However, if you attend and they discuss other matters besides that, you are at liberty to restore yourself to your former position. I have attended and I have listened to the coalition attempts, yet I still remain in the Labour Party. I am not one to sleepwalk into any political arrangements,” he explained.
He also advised LP members to be wary of alliances that do not reflect the party’s values.
“I must say, in the past, a coalition was made and a Nigerian government was voted out. I note with pleasure that this is what we as the Labour Party did in 2023 and what we are about to do again in 2027.
“However, the government that follows is even more important than the act of removing a government itself. A government was removed, and what followed was disaster.”
Datti acknowledged the INEC-recognised Abure-led executive but also noted the presence of the Nenadi Usman group.
“This I do, devoid of any personal interest, devoid of any ambition, and devoid of any animosity to any group whatsoever,” he said.
He expressed confidence in Obi’s commitment to LP:
“I am glad also to note that from the comments of my boss, His Excellency Governor Peter Obi, he still remains in the Labour Party.”
He pledged to unite the various camps within the party, “For us to sit down, understand each other better and move forward.”
Abure to forgive
In his response, Abure welcomed Datti’s reconciliatory efforts and extended an olive branch to Obi, Otti, and other aggrieved members.
“I want to state very clearly that legality does not give room to illegality. The apex court has stated clearly that the party is supreme and that the issues of leadership are internal affairs of the party. By virtue of that, we affirm that the constitution of the party and the leadership elected by members in 2024 at Nnewi, which produced the current leader.
“You will agree with me that the so-called group is not only illegitimate but illegal. Consequently, legality cannot give room to illegality.
“We are therefore using this opportunity to say that our doors are open. I think the question should go to aggrieved members of the party.
“They should sheath their sword and come back. If they return and apologise, we are ready to forgive them because we believe there is no victor, no vanquished.”
Abure, Wike meeting
Abure also addressed the controversy surrounding his recent visit to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike — a meeting that raised eyebrows within political circles due to its timing and secrecy.
“Last week, I visited the FCT minister, and it attracted a lot of comments, misconceptions, and talk about the photograph we took. Now that we have the privilege of convening this meeting, it is an opportunity for me to clarify a few things,” he said.
“I want to say firstly and very clearly that I am a Nigerian. I live in the Federal Capital Territory, and Nyesom Wike is the FCT minister. I have a right as a Nigerian to interface and interact with anybody, including any government official in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The meeting is privileged and therefore was purely a private meeting.”
Reaffirming his commitment to LP, Abure added, “We have paid our dues in the Labour Party. We have nurtured this party for many years, and by the grace of God, today, the party has become one of the biggest political parties in Nigeria under my watch.
“I want to say that in my honour, I cannot compromise the integrity, programme, and ideology that this party represents. Whenever you see me, rest assured that it is to protect and defend the interests of this party.
“The interest of this party cannot be compromised for any reason under my watch. Some of us are not just doing the talk; we have walked the talk, and I’m sure you saw that play out in the 2023 general election.”
[PUNCH]
