Nigeria: Peter Obi Emerges Labour Party Presidential Candidate

Peter Obi/Twitter
Peter Obi
30 May 2022
Premium Times (Abuja)
By Samson Adenekan

Mr Obi joined the Labour Party last week after dumping the PDP.

Former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has emerged as the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).

He emerged as the party's choice at its ongoing national convention and presidential primary in Asaba, the capital of Delta State, on Monday, after other aspirants stepped down for him.

Those who stepped down were a former presidential adviser, Pat Utomi; Faduri Joseph and Olubusola Emmanuel-Tella.

They all stepped down for the former governor at the venue to make the former Anambra governor a lone aspirant.

As one of the 15 presidential aspirants cleared by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Obi last week dumped the party, citing "recent developments" which appear in contrast to his personal principles as his reason.

"Since I resigned from the PDP because of issues that are at variance with my persona and principles, I have consulted widely with various parties and personalities to ensure we do not complicate the route to our desired destination.

"For me, the process of achieving our goal is as fundamental as what one will do thereafter," he explained in a tweet on Friday, two days after his defection from the main opposition PDP.

Days before joining his new party, the LP had received a boost as Mr Utomi-led National Consultative Front (NCFront), an umbrella body of the Third Force, in collaboration with Ayuba Wabba-led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Quadri Olaleye-led Trade Union Congress (TUC) adopted the party for the 2023 presidential election.

At the Monday event, the three aspirants pledged their support to Mr Obi as 185 delegates were earlier accredited to elect the LP flag bearer.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the NCFront and the LP's efforts to ally with other minor political parties to displace the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition, PDP, from dominating the coming elections.

With Mr Obi's emergence, the party may receive more boost to achieve lasting alliance talks with the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC), among others before the February 2023 presidential race.

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