The leadership of the Labour Party on Thursday held an emergency meeting to address the backlash that trailed the inclusion of some names as well as the exclusion of certain candidates nominated by members of its National Working Committee in its Presidential Campaign Council.
The PUNCH had reported on Tuesday that there was division in the party over Wednesday’s unveiling of the council.
Barely 24 hours after the PCC inauguration, there were criticisms over some of those who made the list.
One of such inclusion was a former Director of Information at Nigerian Defence headquarters, Major General John Enenche.
Reacting to the outrage on Thursday, the national chairman of the party, Julius Abure, admitted that they goofed in the composition of the campaign team.
He said, “Our attention has been drawn to some errors of omission and wrongful inclusions in the Presidential Campaign Council list released by the party yesterday. The party is making efforts to correct all these anomalies.
“We appeal to those affected to please await the redress we are currently strenuously working on. We will publish an updated version of the Presidential Campaign Council list shortly.”
Chieftain faults party
A chieftain of the Labour Party, Oluwadare Joseph, has chided the party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for allegedly reneging on a pledge to compensate him with N500m for stepping down for the former Anambra State Governor.
Spokesman of the Rescue Nigeria Movement, a group loyal to Joseph, Rufai Siddiq, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja, on Thursday, also slammed the party’s national chairman, Julius Abure, for giving the presidential ticket to Obi on a platter in a primary election that “never held.”
Siddiq said Joseph and the over 8.3 million supporters he brought to the party have been unfairly treated since he dropped his ambition for Obi to run.
He said, “The Labour Party has refused to reach out to Oluwadare Joseph or compensate him for the over N500m he spent on intent/nomination forms, contact/mobilisations and reviving the party nationally. Not only that, they succeeded in frustrating every attempt we made for settlement after forcing Oluwadare Joseph under duress to step down for Obi.
“It may interest you to note that Oluwadare Joseph is one of the first loyal party members to seek the 2023 Presidential nomination from the party. Labour Party became our baby as we woke up the sleeping party using his resources and that of the members of the Rescue Movement.”
Siddiq alleged that Joseph was restricted from participating in the presidential primary election after purchasing the form.
He added, “It was on the day of the primary election at Orchard Hotel in Asaba, that the National Chairman of the party asked Oluwadare Joseph to step down for Obi.
“It is on record that Oluwadare Joseph was forced to step down for Obi.”