By Ken Afor
Nigeria’s emerging opposition party, the Labour Party (LP) has raised an alarm over alleged attack on its 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi and its National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Obiora Ifoh, it was alleged that there is an attempt by Liborous Oshoma, a lawyer and public affairs analyst to tarnish the image of Mr. Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate, and the party’s National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure.
The LP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Obiora Ifoh, stated that Oshoma’s allegations against the party’s national leader, Mr. Obi, and the chairman of the party, Barrister Abure, are false.
The LP’s spokesman claimed that such allegations are part of a plot by the opposition party to undermine and weaken the Labour Party.
He said, “My attention was drawn to a viral video made by one Liborous Oshoma, a known blackmailer who was once under an employ of a notable Television station but was dismissed from service over sharp practices. I would have not bothered responding to his indecorousness if not that he made effort to perjure the personality of Peter Obi and the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure.
“The social media tiger took up the Labour Party national leader, Peter Obi on matters concerning integrity as well as his indifference in the APC induced crisis in the Labour Party. He also rehashed unfounded allegations against the leadership of the Labour Party.
“It is pertinent to underscore that Peter Obi, being the national leader of the Labour is aware that those allegations are false, spurious and deliberate attempt to derail the party and its objectives. Peter Obi is very much aware of several attempts made in sponsoring a group of dissidents within the party who went as far as attempting to scuttle and frustrate his election petition in the tribunal.
“We are aware that the sponsors of these attacks are unrelenting and are daily looking for pliable accomplices like Liborous Oshoma to continue to further their decapitation of Labour Party but I assure them, that their efforts will be a nullity and of no effect. It is very obvious that the Liborous Oshoma’s video was a sponsored and paid advert from the opposition party who is afraid of the fortune of Labour Party generally and particularly in Edo state.”
While addressing the allegations of forgeries within the party raised by Oshoma, the spokesperson stated that there is no justification to revisit the matter as it has already been resolved by the police.
Regarding the scheduled governorship election in Edo State, the LP spokesman affirmed the party’s commitment to conducting free and fair primaries to ensure the selection of a popular candidate.
He added, “Let me also restate that the issue of forgeries as stated in the video have been cleared by the Police through their various reports. It is also very clear that it is only Labour Party that has internal democracy which has attracted many people to the party. In Lagos and Ebonyi States for instance, in the just concluded bye election primaries, popular candidates emerged as the party delegates made their choice through democratic means.
“We have repeatedly stated that Edo state will witnessed the purest and freest primaries and that a candidate that would emerge must be democratically elected. It is in the interest of the party that a popular candidate emerges and we have exhibited our commitment by coming up with a guideline that guarantees that only the people’s choice will emerge.
“It is pertinent therefore to urge our members including the Obedient family to ignore Oshoma and his likes who are paid to ridicule our leaders including Peter Obi and Abure. The video making rounds is paid for by the government and it is purely meant to plant a seed of discord within the ranks of the party ahead of the Edo governorship election. If you link the message to the messenger, knowing Liborous Oshoma’s antecedent, it would not be difficult to know who is beating the drums for him.”
