The Labour Party leadership has firmly stated that its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will not entertain the possibility of working with President Bola Tinubu’s proposed government of national unity.
According to The PUNCH, this stance was officially articulated through two separate interviews with key LP figures – Obiora Ifoh, the National Publicity Secretary of LP, and Kehinde Edun, the National Legal Adviser of LP.
The party’s announcement comes just days after Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State and LP’s presidential candidate, made critical remarks about President Tinubu during an appearance on Arise TV’s ‘Morning Show.’
Obi raised concerns about the authenticity of President Tinubu’s academic records at Chicago State University.
During the interview, Obi asserted that leaders who falsify their credentials or age cannot be trusted to govern effectively and are not suitable to lead the people.
The LP’s resolute position signals its unwavering support for its presidential candidate and its commitment to maintaining its independence from political alliances.
Obi said, “We are at the point where we are challenging the process and that has to come to a logical end before any other thing. These are parts of what makes a nation. The processes through which people assume office are far more than what they do thereafter. It is important that people come in through the right door and not just jump in through the window and keep saying ‘Let’s move on.’
“The issue of qualification is the issue of leaders making statements and doing things that are honest and truthful. This is an issue of honour and integrity.
“If you look at what is happening in Nigeria today, there are so many issues of certificates, age, and all sorts of one falsification or the other with the leaders. There is no way people can do this and be able to do the right thing. That means they are living a falsified life.”
Also while distancing Obi from the call made by the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to join the suit against Tinubu, the Labour Party stated that its party will not be dragged into the issue.
The party’s legal secretary, Kehinde Edun, stated that such a figment of imagination can never come to reality, reiterating that Obi has already made his stance known.
He said, “I think Obi has something he is pursuing, especially when we are sure we won the election. So it will be out of place for us to now say we want to work with this government.
“As far as LP is concerned, we are waiting for the Supreme Court to set aside the decision of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal that will pronounce Obi as the winner. That’s what we are waiting for.
“This is why we cannot be talking about Obi, somebody who is the owner of the mandate, working with somebody who is a pretender to the office. Until we see to the end of this case at the Supreme Court, it is not over.
“We are still in the process of reclaiming our stolen mandate through our appeal at the Supreme Court. There is no way our candidate can be seen working for this government. For now, he is focused on the appeal at the apex,” he said.
