The Labour Party (LP) has distanced itself from the proposed merger with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and New Nigeria’s People’s Party (NNPP), being championed by Prof. Pat Utomi.
The party equally warned the PDP Presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to be careful of any merger talk involving the political party.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, stated this while addressing newsmen in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
Arabambi said the leadership of the Labour Party in the country has not directed anybody to engage in a merger talk with PDP and NNPP
He said, “we wish to advise former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that our party leadership has not directed anyone to engage in a merger talk with PDP and NNPP”
“Atiku Abubakar should know that all merger talks spearheaded by Prof Pat Uromi, a PDP political mercenary, wearing the LP mask not from the Labour Party. We want to assure him that our party will resist illegal merger talks with any political parties.
“The obedient mercenaries should wake up now and refrain from being used further by the Peter Obi/PDP political mercenaries in the LP. The PDP political mercenaries in the LP, Peter Obi, Abure, and cohorts, intended to use LP as a vehicle for the 2027 presidency for the PDP, and we are telling Nigerians that LP is not a party to such fraudulent merchandise merger.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party has demanded the publication of the audited statement of account of the party from a reputable auditor in the sum of N19.67 billion received before the Presidential election and N12 billion and $15 million remaining after the last presidential election, including other national and international donations received.
Arabambi while reacting to a statement credited to Akin Oshintokun the Director General of Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Committee that the Party was unable to pay for many of it’s political engagements because of lack of fund, called for the audit of the Party’s account.
Arabambi said, “Labour Party is demanding the publication of the audited statement of account from a reputable auditor in the sum N19.67 billion received before the Presidential election and N12 billion and 15 million dollars remaining after the last presidential election, including other national and international donations received”
“Contrary to Mr. Obi’s assertions, our party operated with utmost financial transparency during the last election. No debts were incurred at all levels.
“It’s on records that no candidates of the party benefitted a kobo from the Presidential Campaign Council. No states received mobilization funds for the election, no Secretariat was rented for our party at the wards, local government and State levels across the country
“Members of the National Working Committee expenses, before and during the elections, were covered by the collective contributions of our members as only members of NWC from Igbo land and extraction were given vehicles donated by Innoson motors.
“Peter Obi should seek forgiveness from the nation’s judiciary for his wrong accusations of bias in their judgments”.
