Peter Obi’s movement bigger than EndSARS – Abure, LP chair

Peter Obi’s movement bigger than EndSARS – Abure, LP chair

Embattled National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, shares his views with ADEBAYO FOLORUNSHO-FRANCIS on the lingering feud in the party, Peter Obi’s candidacy and other issues

Why is it difficult to resolve the issue of the Labour Party chairmanship tussle between you and the factional leader, Callistus Okafor?
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It is only in Nigeria here you find that somebody can just wake up and say he is a party national chairman. Callistus Okafor is just somebody who wanted attention, and unfortunately, he is getting it. Was there an election or convention that produced him as the national chairman?

But Okafor said the constitution states that when a party chairman dies or gives up his position, the deputy immediately assumes the post.

Which constitution is he talking about? Somebody can wake up and say anything. It is left for us to find out from INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) and other bodies. People who are hungry shouldn’t just wake up to present another presidential candidate because an election is coming and claim that he is the chairman of the party. Since he said the issue is in court, there is no problem. There are several cases in court; how many do you see being advertised on the pages of newspapers? When we had our presidential primary, it wasn’t hidden; it was clear. Pat Utomi and others were there. You saw what played out before we arrived at the decision we took.

The factional chairman (Okafor) also warned that Peter Obi was sitting on a keg of gun powder by accepting to be your presidential candidate. What is your reaction?

If we are sitting on a keg of gun powder as he claimed, why can’t he just wait for it to explode? The truth is that Okafor just wants food to eat. His case is not a threat to us at all. We will meet in court as he said. It is not a difficult task for anyone to find out who the chairman of the Labour Party is from the Independent National Electoral Commission. I don’t think that at this time of our development, when we want to get it right politically that we should be promoting what will bring down the momentum of the people. This country is dying and it is on the brink of collapse. I think we need to show enough patriotism to prevent it from collapsing.

Recently, Peter Obi has come under fire for travelling to Egypt when he ought to be campaigning for your Ekiti governorship candidate. How do you react to that?

It is a normal thing for people in opposition to find something negative to talk about a candidate or party. What’s their business with him travelling to Egypt? It is because they are already afraid of Peter Obi. That’s why they are always looking for excuses to attack him. Is it a few days before the election that electioneering campaigns are done? People who want to win an election already know how to go about it. The truth is that there is no amount of negative report that will bring down Peter Obi’s presidential train. It is clear that he is ahead of other candidates. His track record is clear.

When you put him on a scale with other presidential candidates, it is very obvious that he stands out. Compare him with Atiku (Abubakar), and the difference is clear. That is because we knew Atiku when he was in Customs and later became the Vice President. When Peter Obi was also governor of Anambra State, we knew what happened. We know what both of them did in their private lives and in public offices. Is it (Bola) Tinubu that we want to talk about? It is clear Obi is way ahead. If he is going to Egypt for a meeting and that is his priority, what’s their problem?

Don’t you think Obi’s presence in Ekiti State would have boosted the chances of your candidate in the state?

Not really. Even the President cannot be expected to do everything on his own. There should be division of labour. There are leaders in Ekiti State who have been working hard. The people already know their candidates and where they are heading. Nigerians are suffering and they are tired. The people have made up their minds as to where they want to go. If they like, let them bring 100 bullion vans of money. The popular reggae icon, Bob Marley, said ‘you can fool some people sometimes but you can’t fool all the people all the time.’

What is the Labour Party doing differently to ensure Obi wins the 2023 presidential election?

Obviously, everybody has come to a realisation that our party is not the Labour Party of yesterday. We’re building on that momentum and expanding our horizons. You know people have been clamouring for an alternative to the APC and the PDP over the years and that is the opportunity we have provided for Nigeria. That was also why we sought the best candidate. By the time we come up with our vice presidential candidate, it will shock Nigerians because we are going to get somebody with the same credentials as Peter Obi. That will put an end to the whole of the APC and PDP. Quite frankly, we need to change those who have mismanaged this economy.

Nigeria just finished celebrating June 12 Democracy Day. In all honesty, has the country fared well?

I gave a historical perspective of June 12 and what it symbolises during the last commemoration. I said that was an election that brought all Nigerians together because it gave hope and became a symbol of the democratic struggle of the country. It has become a symbol of good governance in Nigeria. But unfortunately, the Moshood Abiola family ended up paying the ultimate price. Abiola died in the struggle, and his wife, Kudirat was also killed in the process. Their businesses, including newspapers like Concord and Abiola Group of Companies went down the drain as a result of that struggle. While we can say that Nigeria has attained democracy and people now enjoy the freedom of speech, all these are dividends of June 12. The 1999 Constitution is clear that the principal purpose of government is to provide security and welfare for the citizens. Section 2 harps on the fact that the national resources of the country must be managed in such a way that it gives maximum welfare to the people of Nigeria.

As we speak, Nigerians are not even asking for welfare. All they are asking is for the Federal Government to secure their lives. This is because people are killed on a daily basis in this country. The government has failed us. Over 100 million Nigerians are living below the poverty line. Inflation is in double digit; people’s salaries cannot take them home. Poor people have no food, no shelter and no water. So, yes, we have to have democracy but it is not yet Uhuru for Nigeria; there is more to be done. Those who have not yet taken their PVCs are urged to do so.

There is a perceived assumption that Peter Obi is a social media president who may lose at the poll when the actual voting process begins. What’s your take on this perception?

If you look at the EndSARS protest, you cannot underestimate what the social media can do, especially with the younger generation. It is very clear that the people of Nigeria are tired. The truth is that a mind that is equipped is one that will be able to effect changes. Our youths have taken the election and collection of PVCs up as a challenge to actualise the changes. My party office here is already filled up with people registering for PVCs. The same thing is also evident across the federation. It is a very powerful movement that is good for us. It is even good that the opponents are underrating us and they will see the result in February 2023.

This movement is more than EndSARS, I can assure you. You can see how people are moving around, struggling to get their PVCs. If you visit INEC office in Abuja, the unprecedented crowd there now will send a signal. Go to Lagos, Warri, Imo and even Sokoto in the North, you will be shocked to see the crowd. But it is always good for your opponents to believe you are not on the ground. Technology has broken all barriers. What we actually need now to mobilise Nigerians are smartphones and social media. In the past, these were absent. People had to be in different wards to canvass for votes. Now, you can canvass on your phones. Was the success of the EndSARS process not attributed to the social media? They had to bring in the military to kill people before they could have their way. If not for the use of brute force by the military to break up that movement, you can be sure that something would have come out of it. This is why it is good for us to be underrated over our presence on social media at this moment.

Is Peter Obi not feeling threatened by the incursion of Atiku and Tinubu in the North and South-West zones where they rely heavily for votes?