1.1K
… Boasts of 15m guaranteed votes
As a prelude to the official kickoff of its 2023 electioneering campaign, the Labour Party, LP, has has unveiled a 1,234-man presidential campaign council list.
Announcing the list at a World Press Conference Wednesday in Abuja, Director General of Obi-Datti presidential campaign, Dr. Doyin Okupe, reiterated the commitment of labour party to issue based campaigns while reading riot act to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over an alleged plot by opposition parties to influence the outcome of the 2023 poll.
Okupe maintained that the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi are determined to recover the country and reposition its fortunes from years of bad governance.
According to the list which was read by the National Organizing Secretary, Comerade Clement Ojukwu, the council will be chaired by retired AIG Mohammed Zarewa as while Comerade Clement Ojukwu will serve as secretary.
Dr Okupe also announced Dr. Yunusa Tanko as the Chief spokesperson for the council.
Those who attended the event included, D.G Obi-Datti presidential campaign, Dr. Doyin Okupe, Labour Party National secretary, Alhaji Umaru Farouk, who stood in for the national chairman, the national organizing secretary, Clement Ojukwu among other dignataries.
In his remarks, Dr. Okupe warned INEC not to allow itself to be used by the ruling party to rig or manipulate the wishes of the Nigerian people at the 2023 general elections.
Okupe noted that the 2023 election is the biggest integrity test for the electoral body while stating that any attempt to influence the outcome of the election will be met with stiff resistance.
He alleged that there were reports of the ruling party attempting to influence the electoral umpire by planting some of its card carrying members in the commission and redeploying some officials who are instrumental to the working of the system to a rather redundant beats.
He said: “To INEC we say, this is the your biggest test in recent history, and you have no choice, but to act as a fair, impartial, fearless and patriotic umpire, in the coming elections.
“We have noted with extreme concern and worry, the revelations by the Congress of Political Parties (CUPP), as to how presumed agents of the ruling party have infiltrated and compromised the INEC voter registration portals in 18 states.
“We have also noted, painfully, the concerns expressed by various NGOs, about how the ruling party has smuggled card carrying members of the party, into the INEC officials appointment process, setting them up as Recs, and other key operational personnel.”
He warned that the party will not shy away from legally and robustly engaging any evil attempt, to compromise due process, equity ,transparency and fairness in the election.
Dr Okupe also boasted that the party already has a guaranteed 15m votes from the youth population which formed the bulk of registered voters for the next year election.
“Today, as we commence the campaigns for the 2023 round of elections, the registered voter population figure has tripled, since 2019, and Over 60% of the nearly 100 million registered voters today, consists of the youth population,” he said.
He urged all supporters of the Obidient Movement to show their dexterity and courage, in operation by making sure that no PVC is left uncollected, “and that everyone comes out to discharge his vote, according to his conscience….and we must apply all legal means, to resist those, who plan to corrupt, circumvent, manipulate or disrupt the process, and by tacit engagement and thinking ahead of all machinations, see this election to fair and logical conclusion, no matter how the system may introduce turns and tricks.”
Okupe said: “The PDP candidate is a product of an unjust and dishonourable process, that clearly violates the equitable rights of the entire southern Nigeria, and the desire for balance in Presidential power , already enshrined in the constitution and history of that party, which was shamelessly subverted by subterfuge, and indeed anything built on injustice , ungodliness and evil conspiracy, can never stand.
“As for the APC, the presidential candidacy is fundamentally flawed , through the adoption of a skewed and insensitive muslim-muslim ticket ,despite all objections across religious lines, in a highly religiously sensitive country like Nigeria , at a time where all reason, calls for maturity , fairness , equity, justice and balance, for the good of the country.
“In all honesty, these errors of selfish and opportunistic political manipulation, are not only short sighted and dangerous , but strike at the very heart of Nigeria’s peaceful coexistence, and in fact the very survival of the nation as an entity.
“And that is why, in response to this affront to good judgement , more than at any time in our history, our country is today witnessing her hottest, fiercest and most dynamic citizen-led political experience, spearheaded largely by the youth population.
On the programs of the party if elected, he said: “Our Great party, the Labour Party of Nigeria, is fully committed and totally reenergised, to making Nigeria work, and progressively develop… and you can hold us to our word, that The Labour Party presidency of Peter Obi, will cut wastage, and take bold steps to move Nigeria from Consumption..to Production.
“Within 4 years , the Obi-Datti administration will embark on an aggressive investment drive in practicable smart agriculture outlays, that will see the entire Northern part of the country, become an agricultural mass production and export hub, with the same maximisation of potential , in each and every region of the country.
Meanwhile, in a swift reaction, the National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party, Mr Abayomi Arabambi, distanced the National Working Committee, NWC of labour party from the list announced.
In a short statement sent to journalists, Arabambi said: “We are not involved in Dr Okupe mischievous political shenanigans.”
Nigerian Pilot had observed that the event which held at Chelsea Hotel Abuja was not attended by the presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba Ahmed.
The national chairman of Labour Party, Barr Julius Abure, the national publicity secretary, Abayomi Arabambi and some other members of the NWC were also conspicuously absent.
An official of the party who spoke with Nigerian Pilot correspondent said the reason the national Chairman Julius Abure didn’t attend was because the presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was unavoidably absent.