The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared that the presidential candidate for the Labour Party (LP) is former governor of Anambra State Peter Obi.
President of the NLC Comrade Ayuba Wabba announced this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja to counter and dispel any person or group purportedly parading as a faction and presidential aspirant of the LP.
According to the NLC president, members of the party attended the presidential primary of the party and are not only satisfied with the outcome of the results, but confirm that Peter Obi was duly elected as its presidential candidate.
The statement reads in part: “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.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the presidential primary that produced HE Peter Obi. INEC recognizes only the Labour Party leadership led by the Chairman, Barr. Julius Abure and the National Secretary, Alhaji Farouk Umaru Ibrahim. They are the only Labour Party officials whose details are provided on INEC website”
Wabba, therefore discountenanced any person or group that was parading any person as the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, adding that “a so-called faction of the Labour Party recently conducted what we can describe as a “beer parlour” presidential primary and supposedly elected a presidential candidate. Nothing can be more spurious, hilarious and ridiculous!
“This, therefore, serves as a public disclaimer on Mr. Calistus Okafor. We warn the general public to steer clear of Calistus Okafor and characters who might want to cash in on the popularity of the Labour Party to hoodwink, extort and swindle unsuspecting members of the public.
“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.
Wabba said Nigerian workers and all the structures of the NLC and TUC have been asked to completely disregard the impersonation by Calistus Okafor who has no locus standi to speak for the Labour Party.
“Workers and millions of members of the Labour Party who desire a New Nigeria should regard tantrums by characters like Calistus Okafor as a mere storm in a teacup. Truth is that the bull has already left the barn!”
