The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, has said the movement is bigger than Labour Party and may exit to pitch tent with another political party especially as the crisis in the party appears intractable.
The Labour Party has been enmeshed in one crisis to another, each imperilling its chances of winning elective positions and waging a formidable opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The crises have led to several court cases which have bogged down the party with dozens of its state also gasping for breath and without proper structure.
At the last count, national leaders of the party backed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially announced the exit of the embattled chairman, Julius Abure.
But through the court, Abure who has fought several battles as chairman and has been blamed for the wobbly party has continued to head the party with his victory a month ago in court as the substantive chairman.
All entreaties for him to stop the Judicial route and step down have fallen on deaf ears with major donors and stakeholders threatening to dump the once unknown and “mushroom” party for another as talks of a coalition with the People Democratic Party (PDP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) gather momentum.
The Obidient Movement, which is the strength of the party, which emerged and was named after Peter Obi joined the party and became its 2023 presidential candidate, is the latest and inarguably its biggest structure to threaten to pull out to another party.
The movement coordinator, Tanko, while speaking on Arise News on Tuesday warned, “It’s clear to us that there are challenges within the Labour Party. The Obidient Movement is bigger than the Labour Party. We have them everywhere, academicians, traders, some members of other political parties.
“When it becomes inevitable that the Labour Party is not ready to assimilate the idea of good governance, we will have to look for another opportunity.”
On what transpired in the course of the 2023 elections, he explained, “During the 2023 general elections, we were accused, rightly so, that we do not have structures in all of the polling units.”
He revealed that 1,760 polling units were not won by the Labour Party, with the Obidient movement now aiming to establish a “solid foundation” across the country.
Tanko said the movement has expanded beyond the influence of Peter Obi, Labour Party’s presidential candidate in 2023, gaining support across Nigeria, including in the northern region.
“We are getting prepared and we are ready to face the challenges.
“Where you thought we don’t have them; we are now having them. Even in regions with religious sensitivities, young people are pushing for change,” he revealed.
He further explained that, “What we have in position now is that as the national coordinator, we are going to have zonal coordinators, state coordinators, local government coordinators and unit commanders.
“There is going to be a direction with a concept we have already put in place, and I can assure you it will galvanise everybody into place so that all of these particular issues that you raised will not rear their heads.
“Because if there is no direction, we can’t hold anyone responsible,” especially the party’s federal lawmakers who are being criticised for compromising their positions and pandering to the whims of the leaderships in the National Assembly.
Tanko also noted that a formal registration system will soon enable easy identification of members across the country.
“The data will be so coordinated (so that) you can easily identify an Obidient where he resides and the voting point,” he said.
Speaking on potential alliances with other political figures, Tanko affirmed that the movement is open to discussions while harping on the need to build “a strong, independent platform”.
“That is the reason we are independently building the Obidient Movement to show our strength,” he added.