The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Adamawa State, Umar Mustapha, has accused the national leadership of the party of sidelining him and his supporters.
Mustapha disclosed this on Tuesday while he was giving reasons for boycotting the campaign rally of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Obi, in the company of his running mate, Datti Ahmed, Professor Pat Utomi and a handful of aides, were received at the Yola International Airport by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawan.
Also, the state chairman of the party, Christopher Nicholas, was the only prominent party leader at the airport to receive Obi.
Mustapha, in a statement, said the party’s leadership and the LP Presidential Campaign Council sidelined him.
According to the statement signed by the Director General of Mustapha Campaign Organisation, Ibrahim Ghaji, the Peoples Democratic Party hijacked the LP in the state.
Ghaji said the party reviewed developments and the governorship candidate and other candidates of the party decided not to have anything to do with Obi’s campaign visit to the state.
He however said any supporters of the party who chose to attend were free to do so.
“We, additionally, condemn, in no uncertain terms, the evident hijack of the Labour Party by the Peoples Democratic Party, in Adamawa State.
“This is rather unfortunate and we will fight it, using all lawful means at our disposal, until it is defeated,” the statement read.
