HammerTimes News Online

Tag: #Labour Party

  • Labour Party blames Obi’s absence at debate on aircraft’s technical challenges

    The Obi-Datti Campaign, under the Labour Partyi, on Sunday blamed the absence of its Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, at the presidential debate on aircraft’s technical challenges.

    Mr Diran Onifade, Head of Media, Obi-Datti Campaign Council, said this in a statement while explaining Obi’s absence at the presidential debate organised by Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG) in Abuja.

    “The Obi-Datti Campaign hereby states that our candidate, Mr Peter Obi, was unable to attend the debate programme following the advice of the technical crew of the aircraft he was travelling in.

    “After an engagement in Akure, Ondo State, he meant to head for Abuja for the debate but was advised otherwise due to technical issues with the aircraft which made the Pilot decide to head for Lagos instead.

    “It must be noted that in anticipation of Mr Obi’s arrival, senior members of the campaign and the party had gathered at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, venue of the programme.

    “They included the Director General of the Campaign, Balogun Akin Osuntokun, Campaign Manager, Ambassador Oseloka Obaze, as well as Labour Party functionaries, including Mrs. Esther Nenadi Usman and Alhaji Audi Mohammed.”

  • Labour Party blames Obi’s absence at debate on aircraft’s technical challenges

    The Obi-Datti Campaign, under the Labour Partyi, on Sunday blamed the absence of its Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, at the presidential debate on aircraft’s technical challenges.

    Mr Diran Onifade, Head of Media, Obi-Datti Campaign Council, said this in a statement while explaining Obi’s absence at the presidential debate organised by Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG) in Abuja.

    “The Obi-Datti Campaign hereby states that our candidate, Mr Peter Obi, was unable to attend the debate programme following the advice of the technical crew of the aircraft he was travelling in.

    “After an engagement in Akure, Ondo State, he meant to head for Abuja for the debate but was advised otherwise due to technical issues with the aircraft which made the Pilot decide to head for Lagos instead.

    “It must be noted that in anticipation of Mr Obi’s arrival, senior members of the campaign and the party had gathered at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, venue of the programme.

    “They included the Director General of the Campaign, Balogun Akin Osuntokun, Campaign Manager, Ambassador Oseloka Obaze, as well as Labour Party functionaries, including Mrs. Esther Nenadi Usman and Alhaji Audi Mohammed.”

  • Sultan’s purported comment on Peter Obi fake news – Media Team

    The Media Team of the Sultan of Sokoto has called on Nigerians to ignore the irresponsible attempt by the campaigners of Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi to drag the Sultan into the politics of 2023.

    The social media earlier on Thursday was awash with reports purportedly indicating that the Sultan of Sokoto had endorsed Peter Obi, vouching that Nigerians should hold him responsible if the Labour Party candidate failed to perform

    “Hold me responsible if Peter Obi didn’t perform well, the problem of the North is from the north, not Peter Obi or an Igbo man, it will be worst and more deadly for the North if Tinubu wins, if they tell you an lgbo man is the problem of Nigeria, tell them lgbo man never rule Nigeria before and north is world poverty capital,” the social media post had claimed.

    However, the Sultan’s Media Team in a statement by Bashir Adefaka and made available to Newsmen on Thursday, described the statement as fake, which would not have emanated from the Sultan.

    “The statement is fake because such an irresponsible write-up, credited to him, could not have emanated from anywhere near or around His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR,

    mni, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA)” the Media Team states.

    Reas the full statement below:

    The attention of Media Team of Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’as Abubakar, CFR, mni, has been drawn to a statement circulating on social media

    titled, “BREAKING: SULTAN OF

    SOKOTOWRITES” with an opening

    credited to Sultan purportedly saying,  “Hold me responsible if Peter Obi didn’t perform well, the problem of the North is from the north, not Peter Obi or an Igbo man, it will be worst and more deadly for the North if Tinubu wins, if they tell you an lgbo man is the problem

    of Nigeria, tell them lgbo man never

    rule Nigeria before and north is world poverty capital”

    Ordinarily the statement should not be dignified with a pinch of reaction but because of the need to put the record straight for the sake of truth-seeking Nigerians. Recall that this is not the first time such misleading statement would be circulated in an effort to climb on the influential personality and name of the

    Sultan to score political goals.

    Unfortunately, for these pitiable

    political campaigners, Sultan of Sokoto is – strictly speaking – a traditional ruler and leader of Muslims of Africa’s most populous country. Moreso, as a retired

    Army General, his discipline,

    commitment and unalloyed loyalty to Nigeria is non-negotiable.

    For the avoidance of doubt, the

    statement is fake because such an

    irresponsible write-up, credited to him, could not have emanated from

    anywhere near or around His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).

    Between Wednesday and Thursday, the Sultan played host to several figures, including the outgoing and new General Officers Commanding (GOCs), 8th Division Nigerian Army, Sokoto, Major Generals O. Bassey and Godwin Mutkut, respectively; Vice Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Kashim Shettima, among others.

    It would interest Nigerians to know that the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Dr. Peter Obi was not one of those that paid visit to the palace either on Wednesday or Thursday. So, how some agents of discord who’s stock-in-trade is to thrive on cooking falsehoods and peddling of fake news think that they can get through with this remains unknown to common

    sense.

    The simple challenge is to ask them to publish a copy of the letter purportedly written by the Sultan or a video or audio clip where the Sultan endorsed Peter Obi and denied APC Presidential Candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as contained in their peddled fakeness.

    If they cannot, and of a surety they

    cannot, they should desist from this

    indefensible claim and unpardonable lie using the good name of His Eminence because it will backfire.

    It should, however, be made clear to the good people of Nigeria that this, like many others in the past by the Peter Obi campaigners, would not stop the Sultan from continuing to play his role as a multifaceted leader and father of all and so, his doors will remain open to all

    aspirants across all parties and other meaningful people from across the country.

    More important to Sultan Sa’ad

    Abubakar at this time and always are security, peace and unity of Nigeria, especially as the nation is fast moving into its long planned and heavily invested general elections. He will continue to support all efforts that will lead to success of the election process.

    So, let any incoherent claims of

    naysayers be ignored. Sultan is not a politician.

    PRINCE BASHIR ADEFAKA,

    For: Media Team of the Sultan of Sokoto

    Thursday January 19, 2023.

  • Peter Obi promises to address insecurity, poverty when elected president in 2023

    By Angela Atabo

    The Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has promised to address insecurity and poverty when elected as president in 2023.

    Obi stated this while addressing newsmenin at the sideline of the party’s Strategic Meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

    He lamented the high rate of insecurity and poverty, and promised to address those challenges.

    He said the party had announced a new director general of the Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Akin Osuntokun, to replace Dr Doyin Okupe, who was convicted by a court, adding that a new Nigeria was possible.

    “Today, Nigerians are living in IDP Camps in their country. This means they are IDPs in their own country, and we have been receiving many bad news all over the place.

    “Within this month, a young lady who went to work was raped and killed in Jos, Plateau, and on Christmas day, another lady, a lawyer was gunned down in Lagos.

    “Similarly, there are so many cases of kidnappings and killings all over the country. Our party has also been attacked severally; our woman lady was attacked and killed in Kaduna. The same thing happened to our party’s member contesting in Imo. We can not continue this way.

    “These are the problems in the country that we need to deal with as quickly as possible, where Nigerians can be safe in their own country. We will achieve this if voted into power in 2023 by God’s grace,” Obi said.

    On the youth, Obi said Nigerian youths were energetic and talented, adding that they could compete with other youths globally and defeat them squarely.

    According to the candidate, an individual can not be rich in a poor environment, stressing that as long as Nigerians are suffering, there is need to address the issues.

    “However, there is need for Nigerians to take back their country and set themselves free from oppression and from producing more poverty.

    “This is because the only thing that the country has succeeded in doing is throwing people into poverty, which is also bringing suffering upon Nigerians and making them unhealthy; and that is not what we want.

    “What we are trying to do about structure is to restructure the structure that created poverty. So, our structure is the volunteers who want to take their country back.

    “It will be driven by you all, and if you don’t, remember about your children, yourselves and the future. The society we are building today will make it better for all of us tomorrow,” Obi said. (NAN)

  • Peter Obi promises to address insecurity, poverty when elected president in 2023

    By Angela Atabo

    The Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has promised to address insecurity and poverty when elected as president in 2023.

    Obi stated this while addressing newsmenin at the sideline of the party’s Strategic Meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

    He lamented the high rate of insecurity and poverty, and promised to address those challenges.

    He said the party had announced a new director general of the Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Akin Osuntokun, to replace Dr Doyin Okupe, who was convicted by a court, adding that a new Nigeria was possible.

    “Today, Nigerians are living in IDP Camps in their country. This means they are IDPs in their own country, and we have been receiving many bad news all over the place.

    “Within this month, a young lady who went to work was raped and killed in Jos, Plateau, and on Christmas day, another lady, a lawyer was gunned down in Lagos.

    “Similarly, there are so many cases of kidnappings and killings all over the country. Our party has also been attacked severally; our woman lady was attacked and killed in Kaduna. The same thing happened to our party’s member contesting in Imo. We can not continue this way.

    “These are the problems in the country that we need to deal with as quickly as possible, where Nigerians can be safe in their own country. We will achieve this if voted into power in 2023 by God’s grace,” Obi said.

    On the youth, Obi said Nigerian youths were energetic and talented, adding that they could compete with other youths globally and defeat them squarely.

    According to the candidate, an individual can not be rich in a poor environment, stressing that as long as Nigerians are suffering, there is need to address the issues.

    “However, there is need for Nigerians to take back their country and set themselves free from oppression and from producing more poverty.

    “This is because the only thing that the country has succeeded in doing is throwing people into poverty, which is also bringing suffering upon Nigerians and making them unhealthy; and that is not what we want.

    “What we are trying to do about structure is to restructure the structure that created poverty. So, our structure is the volunteers who want to take their country back.

    “It will be driven by you all, and if you don’t, remember about your children, yourselves and the future. The society we are building today will make it better for all of us tomorrow,” Obi said. (NAN)

  • Christmas: Obi celebrates with IDPs in Benue 

    Peter Obi, presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), on Sunday celebrated Christmas at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Abagana, Makurdi.

    Speaking with the IDPs, Obi said that their plight would not continue, adding that they should have hope that they would soon go back to their ancestral homes.


    “What you are passing through is what Nigeria is passing through.


    “As long as you remain here in the camp, Nigeria is not doing well. It is my desire that you will like this camp and continue to do what you know best to do which is farming.


    “As long as you remain in IDP camp, Nigeria is in IDP,” he said.


    Obi expressed joy at celebrating Christmas with the Displaced Persons, saying that he was unhappy to see fellow Nigerians camped against their wishes in IDP camps.

    “I cannot celebrate while you are in camps hence the decision to celebrate with you,” he said.

    Earlier, Dr Emmanuel Shior, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said that Obi was the only presidential candidate that visited and celebrated Christmas with the IDPs.

    Shior said that the state 12 has officially recognised IDPs camps and seven unofficial camps hosting thousands of Displaced Persons.

    He said that Obi had visited to encourage and give hope to the over 10,000 IDPs in Abagana IDPs camp, stating that he donated N3 million to them.

  • Christmas: Obi celebrates with IDPs in Benue 

    Peter Obi, presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), on Sunday celebrated Christmas at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Abagana, Makurdi.

    Speaking with the IDPs, Obi said that their plight would not continue, adding that they should have hope that they would soon go back to their ancestral homes.


    “What you are passing through is what Nigeria is passing through.


    “As long as you remain here in the camp, Nigeria is not doing well. It is my desire that you will like this camp and continue to do what you know best to do which is farming.


    “As long as you remain in IDP camp, Nigeria is in IDP,” he said.


    Obi expressed joy at celebrating Christmas with the Displaced Persons, saying that he was unhappy to see fellow Nigerians camped against their wishes in IDP camps.

    “I cannot celebrate while you are in camps hence the decision to celebrate with you,” he said.

    Earlier, Dr Emmanuel Shior, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said that Obi was the only presidential candidate that visited and celebrated Christmas with the IDPs.

    Shior said that the state 12 has officially recognised IDPs camps and seven unofficial camps hosting thousands of Displaced Persons.

    He said that Obi had visited to encourage and give hope to the over 10,000 IDPs in Abagana IDPs camp, stating that he donated N3 million to them.

  • Labour Party: I’ll still forge ahead in spite of Okupe’s conviction – Obi

    Mr Peter Obi, Labour Party Presidential candidate, has said the conviction of his Campaign Organisation’s Director-General, Dr. Doyin Okupe, over alleged money laundering would not break his resolve to be Nigeria’s President.

    Obi said this during interaction with journalists in Uyo at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council Secretariat on Monday.

    The labour party presidential candidate said he was undaunted by the conviction and would continue with his campaign and allow the due process of law to take its course.

    “I am hearing about it (the conviction) just like you. I am still studying what is coming out of the Court and everything. I believe in the rule of law. 

    It is not going to demoralise me.

    “Today, when I arrived Akwa Ibom somebody asked me why I haven’t been using my aircraft because it has been grounded and all that, and I said to him that nothing demoralises me.

    “In my life, I have never stayed where they dropped me, otherwise, I would have been where they dropped me before. This election, if they like, let them do anything about people who are around me. I will get there,” Obi said.

    On the impression that he does not have political structure to win the presidential election, he said he was determined to dismantle the existing political structure in the country which encouraged corruption and spread poverty among Nigerians.

    “The structure they have today is the structure we want to destroy. It is the structure of criminality. It is structure that produced 133 million people living in poverty, 

    “It is the structure that produced 20 million out of school children. It is the structure that has made Nigeria surpass India in infant mortality. It is the structure that will destroy Nigeria and we want to destroy that structure,” he said.

    The LP presidential candidate added that his priority would be how to secure a United Nigeria and pull people out of poverty.

    He that said if elected president of the  country come 2023, he would work towards the realisation of the Ibaka Deep Seaport in Akwa Ibom.

    He said, “my problem is how to create a future and make Nigeria a productive and not a consuming nation.”

  • Labour Party: I’ll still forge ahead in spite of Okupe’s conviction – Obi

    Mr Peter Obi, Labour Party Presidential candidate, has said the conviction of his Campaign Organisation’s Director-General, Dr. Doyin Okupe, over alleged money laundering would not break his resolve to be Nigeria’s President.

    Obi said this during interaction with journalists in Uyo at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council Secretariat on Monday.

    The labour party presidential candidate said he was undaunted by the conviction and would continue with his campaign and allow the due process of law to take its course.

    “I am hearing about it (the conviction) just like you. I am still studying what is coming out of the Court and everything. I believe in the rule of law. 

    It is not going to demoralise me.

    “Today, when I arrived Akwa Ibom somebody asked me why I haven’t been using my aircraft because it has been grounded and all that, and I said to him that nothing demoralises me.

    “In my life, I have never stayed where they dropped me, otherwise, I would have been where they dropped me before. This election, if they like, let them do anything about people who are around me. I will get there,” Obi said.

    On the impression that he does not have political structure to win the presidential election, he said he was determined to dismantle the existing political structure in the country which encouraged corruption and spread poverty among Nigerians.

    “The structure they have today is the structure we want to destroy. It is the structure of criminality. It is structure that produced 133 million people living in poverty, 

    “It is the structure that produced 20 million out of school children. It is the structure that has made Nigeria surpass India in infant mortality. It is the structure that will destroy Nigeria and we want to destroy that structure,” he said.

    The LP presidential candidate added that his priority would be how to secure a United Nigeria and pull people out of poverty.

    He that said if elected president of the  country come 2023, he would work towards the realisation of the Ibaka Deep Seaport in Akwa Ibom.

    He said, “my problem is how to create a future and make Nigeria a productive and not a consuming nation.”

  • Labour Party: NCWS tasks security agencies on killers of Kaduna women leader

    By Dorcas Jonah

    The National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), has tasked security agencies to unravel the suspected killers of Mrs Victoria Chindex, the Kaduna women leader of the Labour Party (LP).

    The National President of NCWS, Hajiya Lami Lau, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Lau called for investigation into the killing, saying that the perpetrators must be apprehended and brought to justice.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that gun men had stormed the residence of Chindex in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Nov. 28, shot her and injured her husband on the leg.

    Lau said that government at all level must condemn such barbaric act and ensure that those involved were made to face the full waft of the law.

    “Incidences such as this need to be condemned in totality particularly at a time where the council is working hard to promote women at all level of governance.

    ”Such act will brought to nothing all the hard work and progress made by the council and another stakeholders as the country prepares for the 2023 general election.

    ”As human, everyone including women has the right to choose and belong to a political party of their choice without fear of intimidation according to the tenets of the nation’s democracy,” she said.

    Lau said that there was need to address the culture of impunity that encourages all forms of abuse against women.(NAN)