The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, insisted on his membership of the party yesterday just as the party leadership reversed its decision to create a directorate for the Obidient Movement, a group loyal to Obi.
The party leadership, under Julius Abure, was forced to beat a retreat on its decision to create the directorate after a strong opposition from the Obidient movement leaders, and later from Obi.
The movement leaders accused the Abure leadership of the party of trying to undermine Obi through the directorate.
However, the national publicity secretary of Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, in a terse statement yesterday, said, "Following the controversies arising from the creation of the Directorate of OBIDIENT Affairs, in the party, the Directorate is hereby renamed the Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration."
In his reaction to the controversy, Obi, a principal mentor of the Obidient Movement In Nigeria, said the group is beyond any political party and cannot be cubby hole into one.
He said the Obidient Movement membership cuts across political party, sex, tribe, religion or geopolitical area, adding that the driving force of the body is rescuing and building a new Nigeria that is possible.
Obi, who reacted on his X platform said: "I like to categorically state that the Obidient Movement is not a directorate in any particular political party."
In a subsequent post on his handle, Obi, reaffirmed his membership of the party, saying "For the avoidance of doubt, 'I remain a committed, Loyal Labour Party member'. That is my definitive response to all Nigerians who may be in doubt about my party affiliation in the light of recent reports and conflicting interpretations of recent political expressions.
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"I have just been confronted by a Journalist at Abuja airport wanting to know if my statement on Obidient Movement yesterday is a signal of my leaving the Labour Party. For the attention of all those holding such an impression and for the general public, I remain a faithful, committed and loyal member of the Labour Party.
"Indeed as a Leader of the party, my aspiration, and desire working closely with other Leaders is to reconcile our valued members, and partner with like minds, and parties all over the country to build a strong and better Party that will catalyze and commence the rebuilding of a new Nigeria.
"My statement yesterday was intended to clarify some issues that are of concern to our teeming supporters some of whom are not members of any political party but are desirous for a new Nigeria. Our goal and aspirations remain that a new Nigeria is POssible," he said.
