The Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has appealed to lawmakers elected on the party’s platform not to undermine Nigerians by allowing themselves to be carried away by the brand of politics that undermine delivery of truth, justice and fairness to the people…..CONTINUE READING...CONTINUE READING
He also asked them to be united as they go about their legislative tasks, urging them to represent their various senatorial and federal constituencies in ways that bring about the changes Nigerians desire.
Obi said this virtually while addressing the Good Governance Summit organised by Diaspora Chapters of the party, for its elected members nationwide.
The former Anambra State governor highlighted that the people desire a change, and that it was the duty of the elected officials to bring about that change through the National Assembly.
“I appeal that we all work as a family in building this party and live up to the expectation of Nigerians who have decided that we have a future and that they will go down the road with us.
“Ours is for the masses to do the interest of that new Nigeria and where you find yourself today is an ambassador for that new Nigeria.
“To be able to project these things, you can see the challenges needed to be changed in Nigeria, the level of poverty, insecurity and all the many problems the country is going through today which can easily consume all of us”.
Earlier, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, called on the Labour Party governors and legislators-elect to avoid the temptation and lures from the ruling party meant to get them to defect from the party.
He declared that the party has learnt its lessons from the February 25 presidential election, and that it will never again be found napping in future polls.
Abure also disclosed that the party will stop at nothing to reclaim its mandate at the election petition tribunal.
He said elected members should know that today the expectations from the Nigerian public, from the elected candidates of the Labour party are high.
According to him, the LP elected candidates must stand on the side of the people who elected them into the 10th National Assembly.
This is as he noted, “You have the responsibility to stand with her people and also the responsibility to work with your colleagues.
“I will not rest on my oars until we are able to set Nigeria on the path of groups and be part of development”.
Abure added, “Given the special circumstances which gave rise to your election, which gave you this opportunity to be here and has given all of us this wonderful opportunity that we must constantly engage ourselves, we must constantly synergise to weed out the stuff together, reposition ourselves, reposition the party for future engagements.
“I believe in the theory that it is not about winning the election that matters. It is not being in power that matters. What is most important is what you do with the power.”
Speaking at the event, the senator who represented Kaduna Central in the eighth Assembly, Shehu Sani, cautioned the lawmakers-elect, warning them that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, knows what button to activate to manipulate the National Assembly in his direction.
He stressed that the former Lagos State governor “has been a senator and has been in the trenches.
“Since 1999, he is the only president who has been in the opposition, in the trenches and around. He is versed”.
The social critic emphasised that there was “no better time for the opposition to be organised to navigate the storms and turbulence and obstacles that lies ahead.”
Sani said Labour Party candidates-elect are the surest group of Nigerian politicians who did not win on the sponsorship of godfathers, place-holder for serving governor but emerged from the anger of Nigerians who wanted a change.
The Programme Director, International Republican Institute (IRI), Santiago Stocker, in his speech told participants that “officials do not run away from the people but engage them in a meaningful way.
“If you wish to build a meaningful party as the great US President Dwight Eisenhower once said, ‘If a political party does not have its foundation in the determination to advance a cause, that is right, and that is moral, then it is not a political party. It is merely a conspiracy to seize power.’
“Nigeria is at a crossroads. Citizens are disillusioned over prolonged leadership failure in every aspect of social and political life.
“Citizens trust in government is at its lowest at creating conditions that fuel conflict crime and migration.
“What is needed now is the kind of leadership that provides an alternative paradigm to the usual business of governance.
“The Labour Party through its elected representatives at all levels must demonstrate the desired competence and capacity to chart a new course for the development of Nigeria….CONTINUE READING
