A former vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Datti Baba-Ahmed, on Friday declared that former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, has not left the party, dismissing viral exit claims.
Baba-Ahmed spoke to journalists after the party’s National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, which officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) attended.
The senior party figure faulted reports alleging that Obi had dumped the LP, saying the claim lacked standing.
“To the best of our knowledge, our brother, His Excellency Peter Obi, is still a member of the Labour Party. Nothing has changed. If he were here now, I would have shifted my seat to the left for him,” he said.
The former vice-presidential candidate hailed INEC’s role, calling its attendance a symbolic win for the party’s legitimacy.
He said, “The highlight and major turning point of this NEC meeting is the presence of INEC, which validates this sitting and justifies our presence here.
“We strictly go by what the law provides. As law-abiding citizens, we strictly go by what the law provides,” he added, emphasising procedural compliance.”
Baba-Ahmed said, “The Labour Party has not reduced in any way. We have only increased in numbers.”
“We have gone through rough times, as is usual with political associations, and have emerged from it,” he explained, describing the NEC session as a renewed drive for reconciliation.
On worsening insecurity nationwide, Baba-Ahmed said Nigeria’s political choices played a leading role in recent crises.
“Only two days ago, a national emergency was declared in Nigeria. If you recall, we warned Nigeria and the world that this was likely to happen, and it is happening,” he said.
He referenced recent security failures, alleging they would not have occurred under an LP-led government.
Baba-Ahmed said, “Nigerians voted en masse for change, and something else happened. The result is what we saw two days ago, school abductions in hundreds, and senior army officers killed publicly.
“These would never have happened if the Labour Party had formed the government of Nigeria.”
Baba-Ahmed also spoke on workers’ welfare, saying the LP remains dedicated to fair labour standards.
He said, “It is the birthright of the Labour Party to ensure decent and realistic living wages for all workers; this will play a key role from now till 2027 and beyond.”
Friday’s NEC meeting, chaired by factional National Chairman, Julius Abure, comes months after the controversial 2024 Labour Party national convention held in Nnewi, which triggered a leadership split into rival camps involving top party actors.
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