The Labour Party (LP) has dropped the names of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) presidents from the list of its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) officials.
It was learnt that the names of NLC President Ayuba Wabba and TUC President Festus Osifo were removed following opposition from some quarters.
The party announced this yesterday in Abuja while promising to release a supplementary list to accommodate the names of those it omitted from its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).
LP said the list would be released before the inauguration of its campaign council for the Peter Obi and Yusuf Baba-Ahmed presidential bid.
It was also learnt that the party’s campaign will take off in Nasarawa State on October 18.
The party’s National Chairman Julius Abure stated these while addressing reporters at the end of an expanded National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of the party in Abuja.
A communiqué issued at the end of the NCW meeting read: “It is in the strength of the above that the Presidential Campaign Council has been duly announced with representation across all states, tribes and faith. The Labour Party hereby announces the endorsement of the Campaign Council.
“However, we acknowledge some omissions and misplacement of some names in the campaign council, which will be corrected and a supplementary list released before the inauguration of the council. Also corrected is the inclusion of NCfront, NLC and TUC members in the campaign list.
“The expanded NWC reaffirms that National Chairman Julius Abure is a diligent administrator and the effect of his expertise is felt by every member of the party and, therefore, urges him to continue with the good work of leading the party to victory come 2023.
“Labour Party is fully ready, and all parameters to prosecute the election in 2023 have been put in place and, as of the moment, we are consolidating the momentum that will help us to establish a new Nigeria, come May 29, 2023. We also further make it clear that the Labour Party enjoys a robust relationship with the new campaign council.
“The party reiterates its commitment to gender, youth and social inclusion in all facets of its political aspects and operations…”
Also, the LP has promised to remove the name of a former Director of Information at the Nigerian Defence Headquarters (NDH), Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, from the list of its PCC officials.
Recall that Enenche had claimed that the photos and videos of the shooting of unarmed #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020 were photo-shopped.
In a terse tweet, LP’s PCC spokesman Yunusa Tanko said: “The Campaign Council, in synergy with the Labour Party, has noted all the issues raised on Obi-Datti Campaign Council list released on October 12, 2022.
“We assure you we will do the needful and an updated list will be released soon.”
“NWC in session condemns in strong terms the incessant attacks on Labour Party members and supporters during peaceful solidarity marches in places like Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Enugu, Ebonyi and Katsina states by either the police, thugs of the All Progressives Congress (APC) APC and New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) or some nefarious elements of the Ebubeagu vigilante in Imo and Ebonyi states.
“It is surprising that the perpetrators of this shameful and inhuman act are yet to be arrested and persecuted in line with the laws. NWC in session, therefore, insists that the Federal Government and the law enforcement agencies must, as a matter of duty, fish out these hoodlums and get them prosecuted.
“While thanking the Independent National Commission (INEC) for modalities put in place so far to ensure free and fair elections in the country, we, however, urge the commission to facilitate the timely printing and distribution of the Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) to enable Nigerians vote the candidates of their choice.
“It was also placed before the NWC in session that it is in the news media and other information links that attempts are being clandestinely made by the opposition in collusion with the Federal Government to put INEC under pressure with a view to deactivate the BVAS. NWC in session viewed this criminal tendency with every seriousness and vowed to resist such electoral malfeasance…”
