…Allege Marginalisation
Few hours to the February 25 election, fresh cracks appeared to have hit the Labour Party, LP, as state chairmen of the party allege being neglected by their presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the running of campaign and mobilisation activities.
The states chairmen of the LP averred that Obi has failed to recognise the important role of the leadership of the 36 states chapters, but rather choose to work with cronies and support groups.
The Gombe State LP chairman and co-ordinating chairman for the 36 states, Sani Abdulsalam, at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, said that such tendencies could affect the party’s performance at the polls.
He was accompanied by the LP National Vice Chairman, North East, Mohammed Alkali and the Yobe State LP chairman, Ibrahim Bukar, amongst others.
Abdulsalam alleged that money meant for the mobilisation of poll agents was withheld by the National chairman, Julius Abure.
He hinted that monies expected to be channelled to polling unit agents through state chairmen or national officers have not been done, stressing the fundamental need for polling agents’ in the success of the party ta the election.
Abdulsalam said, “I speak on behalf of the 36 state chairmen of our party, in my capacity as the Coordinating Chairman.
“We have never been respected by the party leadership and also our presidential candidate has no respect for our party executives at state levels, because Peter Obi deliberately mismanaged our goodwill with the imposition of his members and other support groups that decamped with him in May 2022 to our party.
“Of note, Wednesday, February 22, 2023, was the meeting we had with the National Chairman in the party head office, where a discussion was held about the logistics support for state chapters and national officers towards effective mobilisation of our members for the presidential and National Assembly election on Saturday, February 25, 2023
“To our surprise, the National Chairman said the presidential candidate has no confidence in all the 36 state chapters’ leadership, but would rather choose to work with their cronies and support group that came with him.
“The greatest shock from the National Chairman was that money for agents will not be sent to any state chairman or national officers, except those three NWC members, including a woman and that all state chairmen and 19 other members already picked by Mr Peter Obi himself will be given monies meant for party agents and an alert will be received by 10 pm tonight Wednesday, February 22, 2023.
“As of now, no alert has been received by any state chairman and information reaching us confirmed that money was paid based on ethnic and religious consideration, because only persons of a particular ethnic group currently run the campaign of Mr Peter Obi in cohort with the National Chairman.
“As members of the Labour Party National Executive and National Working Committee, it is our considered opinion and informed conclusion that Peter Obi cannot win this election, since all party executives have been sidelined. He is not ready and is grossly ill-prepared for the presidential race.”
