Following the recent crisis rocking the Labour Party, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has stated that it recognizes the Labour Party faction which produced Peter Obi, as its presidential candidate.
This was confirmed on Thursday by the NLC president Ayuba Wabba, after the emergence of Mr. Ezenwafor as the factional presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
Mr Ezenwafor was reported to have emerged presidential candidate in Abuja on Wednesday after a primaries conducted by the members of his faction.
Dismissing the development, the NLC chairman, in a statement published through the union’s official social media platforms, said the primary election that produced Mr. Obi was organized by Julius Abure’s leadership and supervised by INEC officials.
The NLC have also registered the endorsement of mr Obi, as the presidential candidate of the party, Mr. Wabba has placed a disclaimer on the Calistus Okafor-led faction of the party.
“The leadership of the NLC and TUC gave our full support to the processes that produced HE Peter Obi as the presidential candidate of the Labour Party. Nigerians, especially workers, youths and women attended the presidential primary of the Labour Party in their thousands and were thoroughly satisfied with the outcome of the same.“
We understand that with the current repositioning of the Labour Party as the party for workers, youths, students, women, traders, farmers, professionals, physically disabled persons, the unemployed and the downtrodden, the Labour Party has become the albatross of establishment political parties who have suddenly become jittery and are devising all forms of conspiracy theories and subterfuge to distract the Labour Party from ongoing mass mobilization efforts for sweeping electoral victory in the 2023 general elections.
“The recruitment of one Calistus Okafor, a mischievous petty trader, to advance their evil plot of distraction is a new low and should be disregarded by the public,” he declared.
Mr Abure’s led faction remains recognised on the INEC officially platform.
Mr Okafor, a former deputy national chairman of the party, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1636/2021 questioned the legitimacy of Mr Abure and Akingbade Oyelakin’s leadership.
He claimed that the two have been parading themselves unlawfully as members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
Ruling on the case, Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, granted Mr Okafor’s ex parte motion and ordered that the LP and its executives be served with a fresh suit.
The case has, however, been adjourned to June 30 for further mention.
