…As Peter Obi Presidential campaign announces plans to unveil council
John Alechenu, Abuja
A fresh crisis is brewing between the Labour Party and the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation following plans by the latter to unveil a campaign council which the party described as alien.
The Dr Doyin Okupe-led Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organization yesterday sent out invitations for the official unveiling of the P.O Presidential Campaign Council scheduled to hold on Wednesday.
However, Vanguard’s check at the Labour Party National Secretariat, in Abuja, revealed that the party is not officially involved in the planning nor has it sanctioned the programme.
An invitation card signed by the Director General of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dr Doyin Okupe, announced that the unveiling ceremony will take place at 12:00 Noon, at the Golden Hall, Chelsea Hotel, Central Business District, Abuja.
The invitation tagged: “The Director General Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dr Doyin Okupe Cordially Invites you to a Pre-Campaign World Press Conference and the presentation of the Presidential Campaign list …” was signed by Emeka Edmond Onwuocha, on behalf of Okupe.
However, party insiders who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media because “the matter is being sorted out” said the party is not party to the unveiling.
One of the sources said, “As I speak to you, the Labour Party has not okayed any list of members of the Presidential Campaign Council because there are yet-to-be-resolved issues.
“Most of us are of the opinion that our campaign council must be all-embracing and enjoy the national spread. We must not repeat the mistakes of the political parties we want to replace.
“Our Presidential candidate is from the South, the DG of the campaign is also currently from the South. The provisional list I saw leaves out most of the north.
“There is no official of substance from the North East, North West and the North Central for example.
“How can we campaign in these places when we know what we are up against with Atiku and Kwankwaso in the North and Tinubu in the South?
“Even the Diaspora Committee earlier inaugurated is almost exclusive to one section of the country.”
When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Comrade
Arabambi Abayomi said, “I’m hearing about this (event) from you. We are having our National Working Committee meeting on Thursday, that is where issues about and around the campaign are discussed. You
