By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Integrity, trustworthiness and capacity to run a corruption-free government are some of the qualities Labour Party (LP) considered before picking former Anambra state governor, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi as its flagbearer for the 2023 Presidential Election.
This much was disclosed on Tuesday by one of the LP presidential aspirants, Dr. (Mrs) Olufolahan Emmanuel-Tella while speaking on Channels Television breakfast programme Sunrise Daily
Emmanuel-Tella who stepped down for Obi alongside other aspirants including Professor Pat Utomi revealed that the party settled for Obi because of his antecedents in wealth creation and patronage of Made in Nigeria goods when he was the Governor of Anambra state.
Said she: “Peter Obi is a revenue generator; a prudent manager of state resources.
He has done it in Anambra and will believe he can replicate it at the national level hence we backed him to be LP presidential candidate”.
Speaking further, Emmanuel-Tella posited that: “Peter Obi is a man of integrity, honour and uncommon Nigerian politician and we believe he is the man who will bring Nigeria out of the economic woes and other challenges facing the country”.
Asked why he stepped down for Obi after campaigning vigorously to emerge as LP presidential candidate, Emmanuel-Tella said she has to consider the pedigree of the Obi to arrive at the decision to back down.
“When I realised that he is the man who likes Made in Nigeria goods because he patronized Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing (IVM) when he was the Governor of Anambra state, I did not hesitate to step down for him”.
On the insinuation that another faction of Labour Party is threatening to drag the party to court, she debunked the story, saying that the party has no crisis.
Said she: “There is no other faction of Labour Party. We have only one Labour Party, so
there is no other faction of Labour Party. Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was present in Asaba”.
“Also, Trade Union Congress (TUC) was present; Barrister Abure was definitely present and everyone in the Labour Party was present at the Asaba National Convention.
Reminded that Labour Party has no national visibility nor members in the States and National Assembly, she argued that the party has large followership nationwide.
According to Emmanuel-Tella, Labour is made up of everyone who is a worker, everyone who will be a worker and every retired worker in Nigeria.
“Labour Party is in all the states including Federal Capital Territory (FCT). As long as you are a Union member you are in Labour Party.
“One thing that is going for Labour Party is that it has not being in power, therefore Labour Party has not contributed to the rot we have witnessed in Nigeria.
The likes of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC) have mismanaged Nigeria so badly that nothing is working again in the country and Nigerians need someone like Peter Obi who Tested and Trusted to rescue our dear country from these mindless looting and mis-governance that PDP and APC brought upon Nigerians”.
