Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, has replied the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC over its recent position that Obi is free to leave the LP over the ongoing crisis in the party.
Obi spoke on Sunday during the inauguration of a borehole he donated to traders at Pantami cattle market in Gombe state.
The former Anambra governor said he would financially support 100 traders to boost their businesses.
The LP has been embroiled in crises, ranging from allegations of misappropriation of funds, and leadership tussles and calls for the resignation of the party’s national chairman
On March 27, the LP conducted a national convention in Anambra state to re-elect Julius Abure as its national chairman.
Obi did not attend the convention, fuelling speculations that he might be scheming to dump the LP for another platform.
Commenting, the NLC spokesman, Benson Upah had earlier said the issue of whether Obi should stay or leave the party should not be debated, saying the former governor was free to determine his destiny.
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According to him, the NLC cannot stand in the way of the presidential candidate should he decide to defect to another political platform.
While describing him as an asset, the spokesman reiterated that the congress would not stand in his way if he chose to leave.
“The right of choice is available to Mr Obi. If he chooses to leave the party, that is his preference. We can’t sit in judgment over him on that. But if he chooses to remain, of course, Peter Obi is an asset any day. I rest my case on that,” he added.
However, while responding to whether he would leave the LP due to the recent leadership crisis on Sunday, Obi said there is no such thing, adding that issues in the party would be resolved.
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“No, there is no such thing. I am for peace. I like peace. I believe that we are one. We are one people and our concentration should be on peace and I believe we will resolve all issues,” he said.
On the speculation linking him with Nasir el-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna, for the 2027 elections, Obi said he is more interested in the welfare of Nigerians than in the election.
“We are always concentrating on the election rather than what Nigerians are going through,” he said.
“My commitment is about Nigerians living in a better society, given a better life. You could see this business (market) without water for years. That is what we should care about and that is my concern.”