The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has intervened in the lingering face-off between the leadership of the party and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The Chief Spokesman of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation, Yunusa Tanko, made this known on Friday.
Naija News recalls that the crisis rocking the party escalated on Wednesday when NLC protesters stormed the LP national headquarters in Abuja to demand the resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure.
The protesters asked Abure to resign over an alleged ‘financial rascality’ and contempt of the NLC National President, Joe Ajaero.
In an interview with Sunday Punch, Tanko said Obi has waded into crisis by meeting with members of the House of Representatives and the leadership of the party.
He said the former Governor of Anambra State travelled to Asaba, Delta State capital to meet with the NWC and party leaders.
Tanko revealed that Obi urged the party leadership to consider shifting the contentious national convention to a later date for all aggrieved parties to have a meaningful and wider consultation.
He said, “Well, he has intervened, and by intervening, he had a meeting with members of the National Assembly members, especially the House of Reps and even the leadership of the party. This was why he travelled to Asaba to deliberate with the NWC and party leaders.
“The outcome of that particular meeting has yet to be disclosed. But knowing Obi for who he is, he always holds an opinion and insists on the right thing to be done.
“A wider consultation is also very important for all of us to be on the same page. So he has advised the party in that direction and I am sure they are considering it too. I understand Obi met with everybody individually. Don’t forget representatives of the NLC and TUC are also members of the National Working Committee of the party. They were also there.
“All the same, the representatives of the NLC Political Commission will be reached on this particular discussion and that will be done by His Excellency (Obi). We are hopeful that the issue will be resolved soonest. For now, His Excellency has advised that to have a meaningful wider consultation, we should consider moving it forward so that everybody will be involved.”
Also speaking, the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, confirmed that Obi met with relevant camps privately to sort out the issues.
He said, “I don’t speak for him (Obi). I only speak for the party. But I am aware that he has met all the relevant camps privately within the week and is trying to get the middle ground for everyone. That is the issue at hand.
“The NLC does not have power within the law to decide who becomes what in Labour Party. The laws are there.”