The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, has dismissed claims that the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has abandoned the party, insisting that the former Anambra State governor remains a bonafide member of the LP.
Tanko spoke in an interview with Daily Independent, where he also revealed that no fewer than seven political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are lobbying Obi to run on their platform ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said, despite the rumour mills, Obi has not defected from the LP.
He stated, “Obi is still a member of the Labour Party. He has not left the Labour Party. And so, strategically, you have plenty of people, plenty of political parties asking for him. I can say on record that I know about seven political parties who want him to come and run under them, including the PDP.”
According to him, the level of interest in Obi has forced him to carefully study all political options before deciding on his next move.
“His Excellency has to sit back and do an analysis of the party that he may run under and then make a pronouncement. And he has to consult with everybody that believes in him. He’s not a one-man person. He does consultation,” he added.
Responding to accusations that Obi has failed to manage the internal crisis in the Labour Party, Tanko said those levelling such claims are the very people sponsoring chaos within the opposition party.
He insisted that the LP crisis was engineered by external infiltrators who were determined to destabilise the party ahead of 2027.
He alleged, “The challenges are there because those accusing him infiltrated the party and caused chaos, just like they do for every political party.
“When you point a finger, the other four fingers are looking at you. They are behind it. And while His Excellency is trying to hold the party together, they continue to create crises.”
Tanko cited several examples of alleged sabotage, including the controversy over letters reportedly sent to INEC from within the party.
He said, “You can see what is happening. How can it be? A party and the sitting secretary have sent a letter to INEC and the Commission has ignored it. Then the same people again came back and said that the particular letter was a fake one. The person that wrote it said it was a fake one. Can somebody fake your own signature? And it was done.”
He also accused the same actors of obtaining court orders to fuel division within the LP.
“They now go to court and collect kangaroo judgments. That’s what they do, so they are behind it,” he alleged.
Obi Doing His Best To Keep LP United — Tanko
Tanko insisted that Obi has continued to stabilise the LP despite the turbulence created by saboteurs.
He pointed to Obi’s decision to openly support George Muoghalu, the LP candidate in the Anambra governorship election, as proof of his commitment to the party.
Tanko stated, “His Excellency has done his best, and he has continued to do his best to ensure that the party remains the same. That is the reason he went ahead to support George Muoghalu in the Anambra State election, to show that he is holding his party together.”
Tanko added that contrary to speculations, Obi refused to back the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate.
“Actually, they were thinking that in the election he would support the ADC candidate. People think Peter Obi is more of an ADC now,” he said.
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