Former vice-presidential candidate under Labour Party, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has stated that former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, has not left the party.
Baba-Ahmed revealed this while speaking to journalists after the Labour party’s National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, on Friday.
Chaired by National Chairman Julius Abure, the meeting was part of ongoing efforts to resolve the leadership tussle in the party.
The meeting was observed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, wherein Baba-Ahmed dismissed reports suggesting that Obi had dumped the LP.
“To the best of our knowledge, our brother, His Excellency Peter Obi, is still a member of the Labour Party. Nothing has changed. If he were here now, I would have shifted my seat to the left for him,” he said.
He insisted that the party had survived its internal troubles.
He added; “The Labour Party has not reduced in any way. We have only increased in numbers. But with the submission of our leader, the National Secretary, we have gone through rough times, as is usual with political associations, and have emerged from it.
“The highlight and major turning point of this NEC meeting is the presence of INEC, which validates this sitting and justifies our presence here. As law-abiding citizens, we strictly go by what the law provides.
“This is a renewed drive for reconciliation, and I am here as a loyal party member to continue to open our arms to embrace new and existing members, to come back and reconcile with the party for the national assignment ahead of us.”
On rising insecurity in the country, the LP chieftain said;
“Only two days ago, a state of national emergency was declared in Nigeria. If you recall, we warned Nigeria and the world that this was likely to happen — and it is happening.
“Nigerians voted en masse for change, and something else happened. The result is what we saw two days ago: school abductions in hundreds, senior army officers killed publicly.
“These would never have happened if the Labour Party had formed the government of Nigeria.”
He added that the LP remained committed to workers’ welfare.
“It is the birthright of LP, among all political parties, to ensure decent and realistic living wages for all workers. This will play a key role from now until 2027 and beyond.”
