By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Labour Party National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, has declared that the party has the clout that can earn it massive votes needed to defeat President Bola Tinubu, come 2027.
Ifoh stressed that LP can pull off this feat without merging with other opposition parties adding that the party has strong grassroots support and traits that make it appealing to Nigerians.
Ifoh made this claim on Sunday in an interview with newsmen.
He denied recent rumours of a coalition agreement with Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party(NNPP) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).
“As it stands, Labour Party has not been approached or invited to any meeting whatsoever to discuss a coalition. What we see already is that people are thinking of alternatives and how best elections can be won in a landslide against the ruling APC,” Ifoh said.
“Labour Party didn’t need any coalition in 2023 when it gathered millions of votes from Nigerians who wanted Labour Party to take over the leadership of the nation. We will continue to say that the system played a trick on both Nigerians and Labour Party.
“We know LP has what it takes to win elections at the highest level and we demonstrated that in 2023. If elections were to hold again today, Labour Party would even do it in a bigger way because the government of the day has failed. Everything that Labour Party stands for and canvassed in 2023 is what Nigeria needs at the moment. So we do not even really need a coalition to win the election.”
Ifoh,however, said the LP had not foreclosed the possibility of a merger if the terms are right.
He said, “The idea of a coalition is not bad. If Labour Party is approached, the party will look into it to scrutinise see the merits and its demerits.
“Again, we only see individuals talking. The opposition parties have not called for any meeting or take the initiative for discussion until when the time comes.”
Ifoh’s statement comes in response to speculation fuelled by reports suggesting a possible coalition between LP, PDP, and NNPP ahead 2027.
However, Kwankwaso, speaking in a BBC Hausa interview last week, stated, “I have not communicated with either Atiku or Obi,” adding that he had maintained a neutral stance through the end of last year.
Similarly, Obi, in a press conference last Friday, distanced himself from the rumours, saying, “I am not a party to any arrangement of this nature.”
However, in response to Kwankwaso, the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, argued that the PDP was not dead, stressing that Tinubu and the APC cannot be defeated in 2027 except through a merger, which must include the PDP
He stated, “The PDP is the only party that has consistently won elections without being in power. Senator Kwankwaso may have left, but how many states did he win with his new party? The facts speak for themselves.
“For over two decades, the PDP has remained steadfast, maintaining its identity and producing governors and lawmakers in every part of the country. Even if four parties merge without the PDP, they cannot win an election. We’ve seen this play out repeatedly. Where are those parties now? Even their alliances with other parties have not delivered the desired results.”
