The camp of the Labour Party’s (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has distanced itself from the recent meeting between Obi’s former running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, and the Julius Abure-led faction of the party.
Naijaonpoint reports that the reconciliation meeting, which took place on Monday, has further stirred the internal crisis plaguing the party, with Obi’s loyalists insisting they remain committed to the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee recognised by the former Anambra State governor and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State.
Reacting to the meeting, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, stated that the group was neither aware of nor involved in the gathering, maintaining that the movement’s allegiance remains with Peter Obi.
Tanko, who spoke with Punch on Monday, said, “We are not aware of that particular meeting, but we are resolute. We will continue as Obidients to mobilise with His Excellency, Peter Obi. And we have also said that wherever he goes, that’s where we are going.
“Obi is with Governor Alex Otti and the Senator Nenadi Usman caretaker committee. That is where we stand. Being the leader of the Obidient Movement, wherever he stands, that is where we stand. That is just what I know. We are not aware of any other arrangement.”
When asked about the presence of Hajia Nana Kazauri, a prominent member of the Obidient movement, at the meeting with Abure, Tanko clarified that she only attended as an observer.
“She’s a sound, Obidient member, and she remains one. It is necessary to make it clear so that we don’t have any form of misunderstanding. I can assure you that there is no single crack whatsoever. We stand solidly behind His Excellency, Peter Obi,” he stated.
Tanko also dismissed insinuations of a rift between Obi and Baba-Ahmed.
He stated, “It is also worthy to point out that there is an excellent working relationship between Datti Baba-Ahmed and Peter Obi. There is no single crack as being insinuated.”
The Labour Party has been engulfed in a leadership crisis since the aftermath of the 2023 elections. The crisis escalated in April when three factions claimed legitimacy over the party’s national leadership following a Supreme Court verdict that invalidated Julius Abure’s position.
Lamidi Apapa, citing seniority within the National Working Committee, also laid claim to the chairmanship, further complicating the matter.
Meanwhile, a third faction, led by Senator Nenadi Usman and reportedly backed by Peter Obi and Governor Otti, continues to operate as a caretaker committee, asserting its authority over party affairs.
When asked if Obi was aware of Baba-Ahmed’s visit to the Abure faction, Tanko said, “As I told you before, we are not aware of such a meeting. But anybody who has a good idea or innovation to resolve the conflict for the good of everybody is at liberty to do so.”