By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
The Presidential aspiration of the former Governor of Anambra state, Mr. Peter Obi, on Friday received a massive boost by collecting his Certificate of Return (CoR) as the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the 2023 General Elections.
Obi, whose last attempt at the Presidential Villa Abuja, was by becoming the running mate to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential election, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), exited the platform in May, to pursue the number one office with his new party, midway into initially contesting the ticket of the main opposition party.
“Mr. Peter Obi Receives Labour Party Certificate of Returns as its Presidential Candidate for 2023 presidential elections,” the Labour Party tweeted on its official handle alongside a photo of Obi holding the certificate of return. “Congratulations!!
Before now, a faction of the party had elected a presidential candidate for the elections next year.
But the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) maintained that it only recognises the party’s presidential election which produced Obi as its candidate.
The leadership of the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) recognise the leadership of the Labour Party led by Barrister Julius Abure, a former trade union leader and workers are part of the leadership,” the NLC President Ayuba Wabba said in a statement issued on Thursday.
“The NLC and TUC are aware of only one presidential primary which was held in Asaba, Delta State on 30th May 2022 and produced HE Peter Obi as its presidential candidate and standard-bearer.”
He said the TUC and NLC gave their full support to the processes which produced Obi as the party’s presidential candidate.
“This, therefore, serves as a public disclaimer on Mr Calistus Okafor. We warn the general public to steer clear of Calistus Okafor and characters who might want to cash in on the popularity of the Labour Party to hoodwink, extort and swindle unsuspecting members of the public,” he warned.
