Ahead of the February Presidential election in Nigeria, the North East Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the Labour Party (LP) has diverted their support to Atiku Abubakar instead of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Announcing the decision during a press Conference held at Khairan Guest House in Bauchi on Tuesday, the Spokesperson of the Party’s Presidential Campaign Council, North East, Muhammad Pantami, declared that over 40 million voters in the North East sub-region will vote for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP in the 2023 general elections.
To him, based on their observations, the action of the leaders of the party has rendered the support groups and the Presidential Campaign Council of the party in the North East worthless most especially during presidential Campaign rallies despite having a huge number of party members of about 4 million voters.
Muhammad Pantami further explained that they have not been carried along during campaign rallies in almost all the states of the North East which include Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe and Borno.
“And from all indications the story will not change in Yobe State tomorrow 1st February 2023”, he said.Pantami who lamented that the Labour Party has been bedevilled by a lack of internal democracy, Tribalism and God fatherism, alleged that his members have not been getting complete information about the internal functioning of the party.
He said power inside the party is concentrated among the leaders, such that, not all members are able to influence decisions.
Pantami further alleged that the Northern block is not been involved in the process of decision-making in the party.
“We only see politicking activities going or asked to do something without adequate time and other resources to prepare effectively, unlike the southerners”, he said.
The Spokesperson of the North East Labour Party Presidential campaign council also revealed that lack of federal character is the order of the day in the party such that loyalty towards leaders becomes more important than loyalty to the party principles, policies, and patriotism.
Muhammad Pantami stated that the mainstream politicking decision of the party and the presidential campaign council (PCC) is tilted toward Southerners in the party, thereby sidelining Northerners.
“We the northerners, constitute about 65% of the voting in the presidential elections, our members are totally not satisfied with thisthe situation”, he said.
Pantami went further to note that “despite the fact that the North has a greater percentage of voters, this problem of sidelining persists, the current situation calls for an action”.
According to him, loyalty to a few individuals that influence major decisions becomes more important than loyalty to the party constitution and patriotism which has made it impossible for many hardworking stakeholders to be engaged properly in the politicking of the party.
He added that the acute lack of proper engagement of stakeholders, leaders and PCC Presidential campaign council members from the North is one of the major issues that made it necessary for them to find an alternative platform for their political engagement.
Pantami noted that leadership actions and actions in the Labour Party have not bonded leaders and followers together in a mutual and continuing pursuit of a higher purpose, which he said has highly reduced the possibility of the success of the party in the coming presidential polls.
“Based on the aforementioned issues raised, we the leaders, stakeholders and about 4 million registered voters in the six states of Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, and Yobe resolved firmly to resign our membership from the labour party and defect to the People’s Democratic Party”, he declared.
“We also resolved to declare our full support to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP”, he concluded.
