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  • 2023: Labour Party Still in Talk with Kwankwaso, Others For Possible Alliance, says Okupe

    2023: Labour Party Still in Talk with Kwankwaso, Others For Possible Alliance, says Okupe

    Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Director General of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council, Doyin Okupe has disclosed that the party is still in talks with the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Rabiu Kwankwaso and others with a view to forming formidable alliance.

    Earlier in the year, there were reports that Kwankwaso and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party Peter Obi were in talks for a possible alliance. The move, did not, however, materialise.

    But Okupe said despite that, the LP is still looking to form an alliance with Kwankwaso and other parties.

    “As a party, at our own campaign level, we are talking to SDP; we are talking to even Kwankwaso and his team again. We are talking to PRP and ADC,” he said on Channels Television’s Hard Copy, a prerecorded show aired on Friday.

    “I believe and I trust that God will help us that between now and December, we would bring together that alignment politically in the country and the country would be better for it.”

    According to him, the move is to ensure that “whoever wins is not just winning on a sole effort; we are winning with the cooperation of many of as many groups as possible”.

    He also dismissed criticisms over Obi’s visits to some power brokers in the country, saying it was meant solely for “carrying everybody along” in the scheme of things.

    “Somebody won an election in this country, he did not rule. He was loved by Nigerians but some stakeholders stopped that. We have to avoid that by carrying everybody along, “Okupe added.

    “Even if they don’t agree with us initially, let them not oppose us; let them not see us as enemies. We are not enemies of anybody, a group, or any part of the country. We are just a sect of people who mean well for the country…”

  • 2023: Labour Party Unveils Members of Presidential Campaign Council

    2023: Labour Party Unveils Members of Presidential Campaign Council

    The Labour Party on Wednesday unveiled its Presidential Campaign Council, consisting of 1,234 members.

    The Director General of the Council, Doyin Okupe, also said those who think that the party has only social media supporters will be in for a surprise at the polls in 2023.

    Addressing journalists in Abuja, Okupe explained that over 80% of all new voters in the forthcoming general elections are supporters of the Labour Party.

    Okupe retained his position as the DG of the Council while a retired assistant Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Zarewa is the chairman of the council.

    The National Organising Secretary of Labour Party, Clement Ojukwu read the names of the party’s campaign council for the 2023 presidential election.

    According to him, the 1,234 member-campaign council is an all inclusive organisation.

    In his remarks, Okupe highlighted the party’s campaign strategy, insisting that the support base is beyond social media.

  • Labour Party Inaugurates Diaspora Committee To Raise Funds

    Labour Party Inaugurates Diaspora Committee To Raise Funds

    Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Labour Party has inaugurated an 11-man committee to steer its Diaspora activities and ensure inclusiveness of members of the party outside the country.

    During the inauguration in Abuja, the National Chairman of the Party, Mr Julius Abure said the committee was born out of the need to address the desire of Nigerians living abroad to be included in the party’s campaign train.

    The committee is also charged with the responsibility of fund raising for the party among other things.

    “The party has enjoyed overwhelming support from Nigerians and from Nigerians across the world,” Abure said. “And even non-Nigerians alike. This has resulted into a situation where there is clamnour for the party to establish chapters across the world.

    “There has also been the clamour of people who want to contribute to the growth and development of the party.

    “Arising from these calls are the necessity to have these activities coordinated.

    “The party therefore has decided to put up a committee of 11 distinguished Nigerians to drive this process. And it is that committee we are inaugurating today.”

  • 2023: Kenneth Okonkwo Officially Joins Labour Party

    2023: Kenneth Okonkwo Officially Joins Labour Party

    Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo has officially joined the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    Recall that the movie star had in on July 12, 2022, resigned his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

    The actor’s desire to dump the ruling party followed the selection of Kashim Shettima as the running mate of the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.

    On his Instagram feed on Wednesday, Okonkwo shared pictures of himself with Labour Party executives in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    He wrote. ‘’It was an honour and a privilege to be welcomed into the Labour Party on the 23rd of August, 2022, at the Supreme God House, Apo, Abuja, by the entire executive of the FCT Labour Party, led by its Chairman, Comrade Peter Diugwu, representing the National Executive of the Party.

    “I feel loved and cherished by the visit of these distinguished officials of this people-centric party to our chambers which culminated in my officially joining the Labour Party as a member”.

    The actor pledged to support the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

  • 2023: Our Message Gives Hope, It’s Already Uniting Nigerians – Datti

    2023: Our Message Gives Hope, It’s Already Uniting Nigerians – Datti

    Vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Datti Baba-Ahmed is of the opinion that his party’s message is giving hope to many and is already uniting Nigerians.

    Baba-Ahmed who on Tuesday was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, said LP’s communications and the interactions between its presidential candidate and the general public is beginning to ease tensions across the country.

    “You can see that certain groups feel that there is effort feel including from other groups, to make theirs come to power, you can see that tension is actually coming.

    “There is a lot of hope for better life, for better security… and the single most important factor uniting Nigeria is the candidacy of Peter Obi,” the LP’s Vice Presidential Candidate asserted.

    Baba-Ahmed also defended his pedigree and that of Obi to win the election and govern the country well.

    “Labour Party candidates, assume I am not the one speaking, are driven by their records. They are stepping on what they have succeeded in to attempt to lead Nigeria,” he said.

    “Other candidates, I don’t have to mention (their names) are swimming in the ocean of wealth and power and so they want to rule Nigeria.”

    The Labour Party VP candidate also spoke about the state of Nigeria’s Democracy, more than two decades after the return to civil rule.

    “It is very sad that what you keep hearing (about) endlessly are the three arms of government in a democratic government,” he said.

    Rather than focus on just how the arms of government function, he explained that for Nigeria to be a proper democracy, three philosophical conditions must be present.

    Elaborating, he said, “One, democracy must not be about individuals or small groups or any group for that matter. It must be about a political entity for it to qualify as democratic. It (should be) about national and bigger interests.

    “Two, the aspirations and the desires and the will of the people must reflect in their elections…, which means we are yet to meet the second philosophical condition of democracy.

    “The third one is that, as provided in the Constitution, the people must hold power, on whose behalf the elected government exercises authority. What you have now is that government once elected or they impose themselves, they hold the power and exercise the authority.

    “So, condition two is not there and condition three is questionable.”

    Addressing the issue of security, Baba-Ahmed said the Peter-Obi’s government when brought to power in 2023, will “account for every square-meter of Nigeria” adding that in doing this, the administration will recruit more security agents with emphasis on law enforcement other than defense.

    He said the police needs to be expanded, adding that the expansion plan for security agencies will not just end at recruitment but will include adequate training, welfare, intelligence and networking.

    According him, while other candidates in the past might have promised some the things aforementioned, the difference are the individuals who the Labour Party has put forward and the philosophy that has driven them into politics – which in his is to help fix Nigeria having discovered what the problem truly is.

  • Lagos PDP Chieftain, Gbadamosi defects to Endorse Peter Obi’s Labour Party

    Lagos PDP Chieftain, Gbadamosi defects to Endorse Peter Obi’s Labour Party

    Babatunde Gbadamosi, a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, has defected to the Labour Party ahead of next year’s elections.

    Gbadamosi, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Lagos, declared his support for LP presidential flagbearer, Peter Obi.

    The statement read in part, “The exit of Peter Obi from the PDP and his subsequent emergence as the Presidential candidate of the LP, and his brilliant choice of Mallam Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed as running mate have rekindled my hope.

    “I hereby publicly declare my resignation from the PDP and wish all the remaining members well.”

    He added, “By the same token, I also hereby publicly declare my support for the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.”

  • Insecurity: Why I’m ashamed of Buhari – LP’s VP, Yusuf Ahmed-Baba

    Insecurity: Why I’m ashamed of Buhari – LP’s VP, Yusuf Ahmed-Baba

    Yusuf Ahmed-Baba, the Vice-Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, on Monday accused President Muhammadu Buhari of failing to tackle insecurity in the country.

    Ahmed-Baba said he was ashamed that Buhari had failed to secure Nigeria despite all his talks about tackling the menace.

    He spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today, while reacting to how LP’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi intends to tackle insecurity.

    Ahmed-Baba assured Nigerians of their safety if Obi wins the 2023 presidential election.

    He said: “We do, what have Nigerians not heard in the past? What has APC not told Nigerians? What did Buhari not say about restoring security? Are Nigerians not tired of hearing people talk and doing the opposite?

    “Peter Obi and I are a completely different mix, that is why we are seeking this opportunity and when we get it we will deliver.

    “The importance of talking has been destroyed by this administration, I feel ashamed to talk because someone like Buhari has talked and he failed.

    “I don’t want to talk but act, we have the solution and by the grace of God, Nigerians will be safe and secured.”

  • Labour Party’s Baba-Ahmed Raises Alarm Over Fake Accounts On Social Media

    Labour Party’s Baba-Ahmed Raises Alarm Over Fake Accounts On Social Media

    The vice-presidential candidate of the Labour party, Yusuf Baba-Ahmed has raised serious concern over the misuse of social media by his opponent with the intent of causing religious disaffection.

    He raised the alarm at a news conference in Abuja on Monday,

    Mr Baba-Ahmed said since his emergence as the vice-presidential candidate of the Labour party, political opponents have opened fake social media accounts to discredit him and his party.

    He appealed to social media operators to understand the dangers that the misuse of social media poses to the peace and unity of the country.

  • Place Holder: PDP sues INEC, APC, and LP seeks Obi, Tinubu’s disqualification

    Place Holder: PDP sues INEC, APC, and LP seeks Obi, Tinubu’s disqualification

    The Peoples Democratic Party has instituted a lawsuit compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission to prevent All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu; and Labour Party standard bearer, Peter Obi, from replacing their running mates with Senator Kashim Shettima and Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed respectively.

    The PDP is also asking the court to declare that Tinubu and Obi be disqualified unless they contest alongside their previous running mates – Kabiru Masari and Doyin Okupe respectively.

    In the originating summons with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1016/2022, the PDP is seeking an order barring the Independent National Electoral Commission from replacing the running mates of Tinubu and Obi

    Those listed as first to seventh respondents in the case are INEC, APC, Tinubu, Masari, Labour Party, Obi and Okupe.

    Recall that Tinubu had nominated Masari as a surrogate running mate or placeholder in order to beat the June 17 INEC deadline. Obi had also nominated his campaign manager, Okupe, as an interim running mate. However, INEC gave a grace period of about one month to substitute their names.

    After weeks of consultations, Tinubu and Obi nominated Shettima and Baba-Ahmed respectively while Masari and Okupe resigned.

    However, the PDP asked the court to determine if by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Section 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s timetable, Tinubu and Obi are bound by the submission of Masari and Okupe respectively as their running mates.

    The party also asked the court to determine if “by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sections 29(1), 31, 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the first defendant (INEC) can validly accept any change or substitution of the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants as running mates of the 3rd (APC) and 6th (Labour Party) defendants.”

    The PDP is also seeking five reliefs including a declaration that by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Section 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s timetable, both Tinubu and Obi must be bound by their submission.

    The party asked the court to rule that both Tinubu and Obi will be disqualified the moment they substitute the names of their running mates.

    One of the reliefs reads, “A declaration that by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Sections 29(1), 31, 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the 1st defendant’s (INEC’s) election timetable, the 3rd (Tinubu) and 6th (Obi) cannot validly contest the 2023 Presidential election without the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Obi) respondents as their respective running mates.”

    The PDP also based its argument on the fact that the term ‘placeholder’ is unknown to Nigerian law.

    “The Electoral Act makes no provisions whatsoever for placeholder or temporary running mates. The acts of the 2nd (APC), 3rd (Tinubu), 5th (Labour Party ) and 6th (Obi) defendants in nominating and forwarding the names of the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants as running mates for the 2023 Presidential elections is valid and subsisting,” the party added.

    In a supporting affidavit sworn to by Evelyn Oroh, a litigation secretary in the law firm of Gordy Uche (SAN), it was stated that some of the defendants had stated openly that they were mere placeholders.

    “I know that the 3rd (Tinubu) and 6th (Obi) defendants have stated in media interviews and publications that the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants are not their real running mates but merely holding the place as placeholders for the real running mates,” it stated.

    When contacted on the telephone, the Labour Party’s lawyer, Alex Ejesieme, said he had received the court processes.

    “I have received the processes and we are filing a response already,” he simply stated.

    We’re aware of the suit – Tinubu’s legal team

    The Head, Legal Directorate, Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Babatunde Ogala (SAN), said he was aware of the suit when contacted by one of our correspondents on Thursday.

    Ogala, a former Legal Adviser of the APC, however, said Tinubu’s legal team had not been served a notice by the court. “Yes, I’m aware (of the matter). But they have not served us.” When asked to confirm the service, he restated, “They have not.”

    Earlier, INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, had in an interview with Arise TV, described the issue of placeholder as a unique invention that had no place in the constitutional and legal framework of the country.

    He had said, “Political parties’ candidates have submitted names of associates to run with them, and that is the position of the law as of today and nothing has changed.

    “For there to be a substitution of a candidate, the vice-presidential candidate must write to the INEC, with an affidavit stating that he is withdrawing from the race within the time frame provided by the law, as that is the only way there can be a substitution of candidates.”

    Also, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Prof Abdulganniy Raji, had said, “Being a part of the umpire, I will not say I see danger or I didn’t see danger (in party submitting place holders instead of running mate).

    “I will rather abide by the constitutional provisions, the extant laws. The Electoral Act makes provisions for the procedure of how to nominate and there are also provisions for the substitution of the names, either in case of death or withdrawal by any candidate, whether the substantive candidate or the running mate.”

    Senior lawyers, in separate interviews with The PUNCH on June 20 had said the only risk involved in the place holding arrangement would be the refusal of the running mate to step down.

    A senior advocate, Adegoke Rasheed, said a placeholder could only be withdrawn if he died or voluntarily withdrew as neither INEC nor the court could make him relinquish the position.

    Another SAN, Rotimi Jacobs, said political parties had taken advantage of the silence of the Electoral Act on the issue.

    He said, “The political parties are just taking advantage of the provision of the Electoral Act: Section 33 permits the candidates to withdraw or an account of death or may be substituted. The political party will conduct another primary election. Or if he voluntarily withdraws, the political party that is affected must within 14 days conduct fresh primary elections to produce another candidate.”

  • There’s dignity in labour, Peter Obi replies Tinubu

    There’s dignity in labour, Peter Obi replies Tinubu

    The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Wednesday, has reacted to the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu’s comment he made about their party, which the party and its members considered derogatory.

    Obi made the remark in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, at a mega rally to support the governorship candidate of the party, Lasun Yusuff.

    He said: “I listened to our chairman when he said that somebody said ‘they can labour till death’.

    “When they show you hatred, Labour Party will show them love. There is dignity in labour.”

    Recall that Tinubu, at the grand rally for the re-election of APC candidate, Adegboyega Oyetola, on Tuesday, had said: “They said some are in Labour, they will remain labourers till death.”

    He also called on the people of Osun to support the party’s candidate in the governorship poll to give the state better leadership.

    Similarly, the LP’s candidate, Lasun lambasted Tinubu, saying his comment about the Labour Party by the APC leader was inconsistent with the attributes of a virtuous Yoruba man.