The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to former presidential candidate Peter Obi, asking him to resign from the party following his involvement with the newly formed opposition coalition.
In a statement released in Abuja on Thursday and signed by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party reiterated its firm opposition to the coalition, dismissing its members as “power mongers whose only interest was self and not the people.”
According to Ifoh, the Labour Party under Abure’s leadership believes that the widely promoted slogan ‘New Nigeria is Possible’ cannot be achieved through what he described as “the assemblage of old, recycled, desperate, and frustrated politicians in the coalition.”
He alleged that Obi had been lobbying members of the party to join him in the new coalition but noted that many refused to follow.
“We are aware of several nocturnal meetings between Peter Obi and some of our members, lobbying them to join him in his new party. We’re also aware that a number of them have refused to defect with him,” Ifoh stated.
“Labour Party has consistently said it is not part of the coalition and therefore, any of our members who is part of the coalition is given within 48 hours to formally resign his membership of the party.
“Labour Party is not available for people with dual agenda, people with deceptive persona. The party will not avail itself to individuals who have one leg in one party and another leg elsewhere.
“People that in the morning, they will claim to be in the Labour Party and in the evening they are in coalition.”
Ifoh emphasized the party’s alignment with Nigerian youths, who he said are seeking a true transformation.
“Nearly 70 percent of Nigeria’s population are youths who are tired of the old order, tired of gerontocrats deciding their fate. The new Nigeria that the youths are dreaming of is not what can be realized from what we are seeing in the coalition.
“These people are opportunistic politicians who are only interested in relaunching themselves into the circle of power, people who are desperate to continue holding on to power.
“The new Nigeria of our dream can only be realized through Labour Party, and the party is willing to lead Nigerians along that trajectory.
“I therefore urge all members of the party to remain loyal and keep the party structure intact ahead of future elections.”
