A Labour Party chieftain, Victor Umeh, says other parties including the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party are panicky over the growing popularity of the Labour Party all over the country.
BASIC FACTS
- Chief Victor Umeh of the Labour party says Nigerians will vote Peter Obi and the power of the Labour Party is the people.
- The Labour Party chieftain also said the members of other political parties are now jittery over the candidacy of Peter Obi because of his popularity.
- Chief Umeh is a former chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), but joined the Labour Party in June
WHAT WE KNOW
A chieftain of the Labour Party, and former National Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh this Wednesday told the media that members of other political parties will vote for Labour Party in 2023.
Victor Umeh who is also the Senatorial Candidate of the Labour Party in Anambra State, specifically said some members of the APC and PDP will vote for Peter Obi. Umeh who spoke on a Channels TV programme, said what matters to most Nigerians now is the task of rescuing Nigeria.
Corroborating the NLC decision to mobilize for Labour Party Presidential candidate Peter Obi, Victor Umeh on Wednesday said the NLC has the capacity to mobilise votes for Obi because “it is a structured organisation” and unionists are also suffering.
Umeh, a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, who joined the Labour Party in June, said the people are with the party.
He further said despite the things being said about non-existent structures, Labour Party has continued to overwhelm its opponents.
On how the Labour Party presidential candidate hopes to win the hearts of northerners, Umeh said, “He (Obi) has been consulting. Mr Peter Obi is one of the most-travelled presidential candidates consulting all zones in the country, meeting people.”
NOTABLE QUOTE
Speaking on Channels TV, Victor Umeh had these to say: “The issue is not about where you belong now. I know that there are people in PDP who will vote for Labour Party.
“I know that there are people in APC who will vote for Labour Party. What is important is the task of rescuing Nigeria and people don’t believe that this thing can work outside this platform,”
“The people are with the (Labour) Party. Look at things going on in Nigeria across the states of the Federation. If you say that the Labour Party is weak in some areas, they spring up a surprise…What is the power of the Labour Party now are the people,” he said.
“People from the other parties are now panicky. Initially, they were making loose statements that the party is nothing. Today, Labour Party is their nightmare. Why has it happened? Is Labour Party sharing money? Labour Party is not sharing money,” the senatorial candidate stated.
“He (Obi) has been consulting. Mr Peter Obi is one of the most-travelled presidential candidates consulting all zones in the country, meeting people.”
CATCH-UP
The Nigeria Labour Congress National President, Ayuba Wabba, at Labour Party’s National Retreat in Abuja on Monday, said the union and its affiliates will mobilise 12 million votes for Obi in next year’s presidential election.
TAKEAWAY
From all indications, the Labour Party looks set to spring suprises in the 2023 presidential election.
There is a rising frustration with the established political order amongst Nigerians. It’s this frustration, which the incumbent APC lack ideas to fix that the Labour Party Presidential candidate Peter Obi is riding on.
As majority of the people look for a departure from the traditional wastage and corruption that has characterised leadership in Nigeria, Obi’s call for young people to take back the country seem to be heeded by people across political divide and age demography.
Perhaps it is this that might make the electorate irrespective of political party affiliation may vote in drove for Peter Obi come February 2023.
