2023: Peter Obi Can Never be Kwankwaso’s VP – LP Chairman, Julius Abure

The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure on Tuesday reacted to remarks made by the New National People’s Party (NNPP) that it will only agree to an alliance with its presidential candidate, Peter Obi if he will accept the role of Vice Presidential candidate to its flagbearer, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Abure in an interview with journalists said, “our candidate, Peter Obi will not be a Vice Presidential candidate to any person. He has said that in his interviews and he has told us that. And I am here to state categorically that it is not part of our option.

“By all standards, in terms of fairness, equity and justice, the President of Nigeria this time should go to the South, and not just to the South, to the Southeast.”

He said that the LP candidate stands out among Presidential flag bearers already fielded by other political parties, adding that the party hopes to pick a northern running mate from any of the other parties it is in talks with.

The LP national chairman’s remarks are coming on the heels of an interview by Arise TV where the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Agbo Major, dismissed chances of Sen. Kwankwaso becoming Obi’s running mate in a much-talked-about alliance.

On the number of parties jostling for an alliance with LP, Abure said, “it is an area that I will not like to disclose to the media. It is premature to talk about it. But in a couple of days, you’ll get to know the outcome of these discussions.”

Disclosing that Obi’s candidacy “has become a movement that all the trade unions in the country, the NLC, the TUC, and even PDP and APC Governors are speaking in favour of,” Abure also expressed confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct credible elections in 2023.

He however doubted the ability of security agencies to provide adequate supervision of the exercise, “given the background of what played out in the just concluded Ekiti elections where the ruling party was buying votes freely and without restriction.”

The LP National Chairman revealed plans to realign the party’s structures nationwide to ensure that the grassroots is taken along in the run-up to the elections proper. Even as he dismissed fears that APC may rig the poll and thwart the electorates’ mandate.

“I want to say very clearly that power belongs to the people. Where the people have made up their minds to change a government, there is nothing anybody can do irrespective of whichever power of incumbency, names them.

“Reading from the mood of the nation it is very obvious that the people are tired of the APC and PDP. Where the people have made up their minds and have decided on what they want, no amount of power of incumbency can stop what the people have decided.

For us, we believe that the greatest defence over one’s vote is to have the support of the people and I think that is what the Labour Party is having right now. You can see how Nigerians are going to collect their PVCs across the nation since Peter Obi emerged as the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party.

“INEC has been inundated with people who want to register, and who want to collect their PVCs. So, I want to believe that the people will defend their votes and will vote for us.

“The power of incumbency can only be relevant where the people have not decided. But where you have two weak candidates, where you have two or three candidates belonging to the establishment and the people do not see the difference between Tinubu and Atiku, then any of them can go.

“But where you have the people candidate, they will stand and defend their votes. And that’s what we are going to see in the 2023 general elections,” he added.