By Steve Oko

Senator Victor Umeh representing Anambra Central, has said that those wooing the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi to abandon LP for another party in 2027, “may be on a wide goose chase”.

The LP chieftain and former national Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, who spoke with Vanguard during an extended stakeholders’ meeting of the Labour Party in Umuahia on Thursday, said Obi got much momentum in 2023 polls because of the platform provided for him by LP, hence, it would not be courteous for him to just abandon the party.

He spoke on the heels of speculations that Obi is under pressure to return to  the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where he might be given the ticket to contest against the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, with the full backing of PDP forces.

But Senator Umeh said Obi would rather build and make LP more formidable ahead of 2027 than dump it.

He said:” Wooing Peter Obi out of Labour Party will not be the right thing because LP gave him the limelight with which Nigerian people embraced him in the last election.

” So, whatever is happening is for him to build on the party and continue to make efforts to advance his interest. Those who are calling on him to abandon Labour Party may be on a wide goose chase”.

Senator Umeh lauded Obi and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State for their bold step towards repositioning Labour Party, by convening the Umuahia stakeholders meeting which made far-reaching decisions in the interest of the party.

” We are happy that issues affecting the party have been addressed. No organization would like to operate with a leadership that is a suspect or not recognized.

” We were concerned about how our last National Working Committee, NWC, was not recognized by INEC, and that was why we came to correct things. It was obvious that its tenure had elapsed, so, it will be foolhardy for us to continue with them because you cannot build on a faculty foundation.

” So, we thank Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti for what they have done. Their courage to convene the stakeholders’ meeting has saved our great party.”

Recall that during the well-attended meeting, former Finance Minister, Senator Nenadi Usman from Kaduna State, was appointed to chair a 29-member Caretaker Committee set up to run the affairs of the party in the interim, and organize congresses and convention within 90 days.

LP National Assembly members and State Houses of Assembly members, 2023 governorship candidates and other major stakeholders from across the country were in attendance.

The meeting was also attended by Obi’s running mate in 2023, Dr Datti Ahmed, among others including representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC; and its Trade Union Congress, TUC.