The National Working Committee (NWC) of the factional National Chairman of the Labour Party ( LP), Lamidi Apapa, has felicitated with the party’s flag bearer, Peter Obi, on his 62nd birthday.
The Apapa-led NWC of the party, as much as they jubilate with Obi, said they regret fielding him as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential election, OsunDailyNG gathered.
According to the faction, Obi, rather than representing varied interests in the party, chose the interest of a faction.
The faction, in a statement issued on Wednesday night by Suspended National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Comrade Abayomi Arabambi, said as he celebrates his 62 birthday, he should reflect on being a statesman rather than a regional bigot.
Arabambi said, “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party (LP) felicitates with its popular presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, on his 62nd anniversary.
“The Party wishes that the occasion should provide the celebrant a period of deep reflection and ponder on the citizens-conferred status of a statesman who represents interests beyond his ethnic leaning
“The Lamidi Apapa-led National Working Committee of the Party hereby charges the celebrant to, on this occasion of thanksgiving to God, to be reflective of the Nigerian interest, which he seeks to serve.
“While we in the Labour party join him to thank God and wish him a good health and prosperity we want to also remind him that his popularity emanates from the love of the people for the Labour party and galvanized by his representation of the people.
“In wishing him well, we want him to state that we regret fielding him on the platform of the party, in the light of recent development particularly actions that undermined the discipline the Labour party has been known for.
“It is indeed worrisome that even though he went to the Presidential Electoral Tribunal as a non-member of the Labour Party and lied severally that there was a time they issued subpoena to INEC for all those document and maintained that they, they were unable to pay all the documents they seek to tender, kicks regret in our party stakeholders.
“We are further disturbed that our presidential candidate would rely on a “non party agent’ who came to court to defend the alleged stolen mandate,” this is regrettable as it is laughable.
“We wish him well for his 62nd year birthday. We made a mistake to have fielded him to, which we will never repeat again.
“We had thought that this birthday will offer him an opportunity to have a reflection that would make him a better Nigerian and not an Ethnic bigot.”
