Obi calls for reconciliation over Labour Party/ NLC rift

  
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour (LP) has called for peace and reconciliation between the Labour Party (LP) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Obi made the appeal at a stakeholders meeting involving himself, the NLC, the Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the LP, support groups and other key stakeholders to discuss how to handle the issues in the party following the recent conflicts between the two sides.

The NLC and the LP have been at logger heads over recent national conventions by the party where Abure was re-elected national Chairman. Prior to the convention, the NLC accused Abure of working as a sole administrator in handling the affairs of the party. It passed a vote of no confidence on Abure and called for his sack. It also labeled the convention illegitimate.

Abure on the other hand, ignored NLC and held the convention. He declared that the congress had no right to engage in the party’s internal issues and accused it of being meddlesome.

However, at the stakeholders engagement on Monday, Obi called for reconciliation between all aggrieved parties, stating that there could be no progress in the party without peace.

Represented by Yunusa Tanko, the Spokesperson of the LP campaign council, the Presidential candidate also advised the group to resolve all contentious issues as well as all litigations against the party so as to ensure a smooth ride to victory in coming elections.

He said: “His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi has asked me to urge you to use this opportunity to get peace and reconciliation for the Labour Party.

“As you are all aware, Mr. Obi has been very much involved in every subject that has to do with reconciliation in the Labour Party. He has had several meetings with the members of the Federal House of Representatives, he has held meetings with the LP itself and all other stakeholders.

“You are also aware that he has been conducting a tour across the country to celebrate with our brothers and sisters in the month of Ramathan and lent.

“He recently just came back from Gombe, Bauchi and Kaduna. All in an effort to find a lasting solution to our general problem as a country, and so, his Excellency says that he is calling for a peaceful resolution of all contentious issues.
It is only when you have peace that you can vie for any position whatsoever. Without a peaceful resolution, we will continue to wallow in challenges.

He recommended that: “Possibly, there should be two committees. You would agree with me that there are various litigations hanging against the Labour Party and that will not give it an easy passage to its destination. One of the areas of focus should be on reconciling all legal issues and eliminating them before anything. In order to give easy passage to everyone that is contesting under the Labour Party.

“Secondly, the reconciliation should reach out to every political stakeholder. There is no enemy in LP. We can also say the enemies of Nigeria are outside the LP. If we come together we can overcome the enemies of Nigeria who are outside the Labour Party. The LP should be seen as one and not different groups that belong to different interests.”