Obi an asset but free to leave; describes national convention illegal, delegitimize Abure’s leadership _ NLC

The NLC said even though Obi remains an asset, he’s at liberty to defect to another political platform should he deem fit to do so.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said the Labour Party flag-bearer in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, is free to join another political platform should he deem fit.

The NLC spokesman, Benson Upah, stated this Sunday while baring his mind on the crisis rocking the Labour Party apparently in response to Peter Obi’s comment last week after the skewed convention of the party.

His comment has fueled speculations that the presidential candidate may have started shopping for a new platform to contest the 2027 election.

Upah said Obi’s likely exit from the Labour Party should not be debated, noting that the former Governor is at liberty to determine his destiny.

Even though he described him as an asset, the spokesman reiterated that the Congress would not stand in the politician’s way if he chose to leave.

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“The right of choice is available to Mr Obi. If he chooses to leave the party, that is his preference. We can’t sit in judgment over him on that. But if he chooses to remain, of course, Peter Obi is an asset any day. I rest my case on that,” he added.

The LP presidential flagbearer in 2023 general election Peter Obi who was absent at the controversial convention called by Abure, told his audience that he decided to stay away from the event because the party’s leadership ignored his appeal for wider consultation with relevant stakeholders before conducting the exercise.

And commenting on the convention, the party spokesman said the NLC leadership won’t rest until Julius Abure is kicked out as the party’s national chairman.

Abure was re-elected as the national chairman at a controversial convention conducted in Nnewi, Anambra State, on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, despite resistance by the NLC.

Describing the national convention as illegal, the labour spokesman said the union would never confer legitimacy or recognise Abure’s leadership.

“Our position on this matter is clear and has not changed. Abure remains unknown to us. It is not a question of removal. As far as we know, he does not exist,” he said.