By Promise Eze
The leadership of the Labour Party has distanced its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, from allegations that he called for the postponement of the May 29 inauguration ceremony for the swearing-in of the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The party’s Acting National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, issued a rebuttal in Abuja on Thursday, stating that “in all Peter Obi’s public and private statements, he has never said or by implication, insinuated that May 29 should be shifted.”
Ifoh emphasized that Obi is a democrat who believes in the judiciary as the last arbiter, and that is why he has resorted to the court to seek justice.
“I had refused to join issues with the expelled former acting National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party, Abayomi Arabambi, and the suspended Deputy National Chairman, Lamidi Apapa on their mischievous narratives of the ‘May 29 handover’ to INEC’s declared winner of the presidential election,” said Ifoh.
“The Labour Party actually does not want to comment on the matter which hearing has since commenced at the presidential appeal tribunal.”
Ifoh also noted that the real enemies of the party are beginning to unfold, and that “no amount of hatchet can distract Obi from reclaiming his mandate.”
He added, “Few weeks ago, you will recall how we alerted Nigerians to plots by this faction to withdraw the cases filed by some of our candidates in the tribunals, allegations they are yet to exonerate themselves.
“Part of their plots to scuttle the ongoing presidential tribunal as shamelessly boasted by Arabambi is to desecrate the sanctity of the tribunal venue on the next adjourned date with Lamidi Alaba forcing himself to appear as a representative of the Labour Party.
“Nigerians already know that you are sponsored to work against the presidential ambition of Peter Obi. No one is in doubt about Apapa camp’s altruistic ambition to remain a destructive agent in the Labour Party.”
