Politics
Labour Party denounces Calistus Okafor, says he is not a member

**Insists there is no faction as its leaders can be verified with INEC
Labour Party Chairmen of three States of Kogi, Anambra and FCT have addressed a Press Conference at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday disowned the Okafor led group.
The chairmen were reacting to some social media reports that the group held a convention on Wednesday where they elected their Presidential candidate.
The Kogi State Chairman of the Party Ahmed Abu while addressing the media said,
“We are here to make some clarification and to set the record straight. We are angered by the fake news being circulated on the social media by Mr. Calistus Okafor who is claiming to be the national chairman of the party. He is unknown to the party. The authentic National chairman of the party remains Barrister Julius Abure
“We are aware of the fact that Okafor is being sponsored by one of the political parties that have ruined this country that is afraid of the rising profile of the Labour Party after the conduct of the last primary which ushered in Peter obi as the party’s Presidential candidate in the forthcoming 2023 general election.
He said the general public can very on INEC website at www.inecnigeria.org adding that it is not in doubt as to whom the authentic chairman of the party is.
The party’s chairman for FCT, Emeka Peters said
“It is not unusual that when a party is growing, some unhealthy fellows will start trying to gain cheap popularity by causing this type of issues.
According to him, in Minna at the National executive council meeting of the party the said Okafor was suspended for anti patty. “At Akwanga when we held our special and National Convention, he was also suspended.
“By all standards he is not a member of Labour Party and I don’t know where he is coming from. You have to be a member of the party before you claim to be a faction. There is no faction in Labour Party.”
State chairman of Anambra Labour Party Honorable Eme Ugochukwu Emmanuel said Okafor is from his State but his name is not in the Labour Party’s register.
“They are not members of Labour Party. We are not going to join issues with him, we are only urging our supporters, the members of the public, Nigerians who are now interested in the party to disregard whatever they are doing.
“We don’t have any other chairman other than Barrister Julius Abure. We have conducted our National Convention and Presidential primaries in Asaba where we elected Peter Obi as the authentic Presidential candidate of our party. “They are hungry people looking for whom to settle them.
NCFRONT Spokesperson Dr Yunusa Tanko had earlier described the group as anti democratic forces working towards causing disharmony in their chosen political party, the labour party, selected to lead our collective struggle.
He said one Mr Calistus Okafor has been parading himself and laying claim to the leadership of the Labour Party.
“In other to set the records straight and after careful investigation, the said Mr Calistus Okafor is no longer a member of the labour party.
“In 2018 Mr Calistus Okafor was suspended for anti party activities and was expelled from the party in 2019 for conducting an illegal and unconstitutional convention which was disregarded by INEC in 2017.
“The puported convention produced one Mr Mike Omotosho who died a couple of days ago to challenge the leadership of Alhaji AA Salam who we also lost to the cold hands of death last year. Alhaji AA Salam survived the onslaught where some of the assailant reconciled with Alhaji AA Salam and were reabsorbed into the party in the spirit of reconciliation.
“But Mr Calistus Okafor continued in his rebellion ways,which earned him the final exit from the party in 2019.
Mr Calistus Okafor confirmed this in a text message sent to one of our highly placed leader in the labour party. He said, and I quote ” I don’t have any intention to come back to the labour party no matter what, but they don’t understand because they feel threatened by my person ” .
“So he is no longer a member of the party . The said case that he seek to be consolidated with, was a case filed by the NLC which has long been settled by the NLC and the party.
“As we speak, the political commission of the NLC and TUC are fully incorporated into the labour party in the spirit of resqueing the country from the quagmire we find ourselves.
Consequently he decribed his claims as not having any basis or merit
“He is just seeking for attention and being used as an agent of destruction therefore, should be disregarded. We have also noticed that both APC and PDP are trying to cash in on this misleading individual.
“We urge all well meaning Nigerians to ignore this agent of undemocratic force with the strongest condemnation against the interest of the Nigerian state.
“We re affirm that Barr Julius Abure is the National Chairman of the labour party with Peter Obi as the Presidential candidate as elected in Asaba Delta State, observed by INEC officials on the 30th of May 2022.”
Politics
Obi did received N850m from Abure, Tanko clarifies

***describes claim as malicious
The Obi – Datti Chief Spokesman, Dr Yunusa Tanko has clarriffied insinuation by one Mr Calistus Okafofor that the National Chairman of Labour Party Barrester Julius Abure, gave the Presidential Candidate of the party, Peter Obi eight hundred and fifty million Naira, (N850million) to prosecute the 2023 election.
Dr Tanko while debunking the clai said Obi did not collect any funds from the party describing the claim as false, adding that the reverse is the case.
He noted that it was Obi who actually gave money to the party severally.
He challenged Okafor to produce evidence, if actually the chairman told him that he gave Obi money for the purpose of campaign during the election.
“His Exellency has been exemplary in his financial conduct in both his private and public life.
“infact he always matain and always demand for Accountability and Transparency from anybody around
him.
He maintaned that anybody around him should not collect any money from anyone that he or she can not account for.
Dr Tanko declared that he was in the forefront of the campaign and privy to most of the expenses during the campaign and to the best of his knowledge, the party never provided any money directly to Obi to support his campaign rallies across the country.
The Campaign spokesman further stressed that Obi and his supporters were quite aware of all the campaign of calumny being orchestrated of recent from various quarters against the LP leader just to paint him in bad faith by those scared of his rising acceptance by the Nigerian people.
“We are aware that people are already scheming for 2027 and it is unfortunate that certain individuals have chosen to divert attention from the high rate of insecurity and poverty that are currently threatening the very existence of our nation by constantly attacking the personality of Peter Obi.
“Those are the enemy of Nigeria and Nigerians but l know that God will disappoint them and rescue our country from their grips whether they believe it or not’.
Politics
Ondo 2024: Over 250 political structures join forces with Omoluabi Coalition Group

Some political groups and structures of governorship aspirants in Ondo State numbering over 250 have joined forces with the Omoluabi Coalition Group ahead of November Governorship elections in Ondo State.
This took place on Monday 27th of May 2024 at an expanded Exco’ meeting held in Ore, where the President of the Yoruba Council- YCW; the apex umbrella body for all Yoruba socio cultural groups Aare Barr. Oladotun Hassan received the groups executives from all the 18 local governments across the sunshine state.
Aare Hassan in his welcome address admonished them to remain steadfast, and always imbibe Omoluabi ethos in their conducts.
He stressed the need for the remaining political structures in the state to join forces with Omoluabi Coalition to decide who will govern the State for the next four years, as this governorship election “is not about political party but the candidates”.
The DG Omoluabi Coalition Group Tunji Balogun emphasized the importance of voters card, as he urged those yet to collect theirs to go to INEC offices in their respective local governments for collections.
He said the groups’ target across the state is 200,000 votes. whereas the compilation of registered voters cards at the moment is still 124,678 which is far below target.
He therefore mandated the new members to register their voters cards on the group’s portal for proper documentation.
The woman leader, Yeye Atunluse Oodua Alhaja Tawakalitu while welcoming the new affiliated groups explained that Omoluabi Coalition Group is an independent apolitical and sociocultural group in Yoruba land committed to good governance, aimed at strengthening the democratic process.
She also gave her admonition and assurances that come November governorship election in Ondo state, the choice of Omoluabi Coalition would emerged as governor.
Other speakers included the youth leaders, and state commanders who also corroborated the statements earlier made by the group leaders.
In his closing remarks, the DG Omoluabi coalition advised all members to remain focused and loyal, stressing that the leaders are in consultation with leaders of thought and stakeholders in the State with assurances that “we shall come up with the right choice in the interest of our dear state”.
Omoluabi souvenirs were freely distributed to new members, while the inauguration of streets captains in all 203 wards would come up at a later date.
Politics
I withdrew suit against APC, Aiyedatiwa after Tinubu’s intervention, says Jimoh Ibrahim

The Senator Jimoh Ibrahim representing Ondo South said he has withdrawn his suit against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa after President Bola Tinubu intervened.
Senator Ibrahim had dragged the APC candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in the State Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the party before the Federal High Court Abuja where he challenged the gubernatorial primary election of the APC held recently in Ondo state.
Ibrahim had alleged that there was no voting in his Senatorial district and a larger part of the State.
Following the suit, the executives of the APC in Igbotako Ward II, Okitipupa local government area of Ondo State, suspended Ibrahim from the party over alleged anti-party activities and insubordination.
However, Ibrahim at a briefing at the Senate on Tuesday, said he withdrew the suit in deference to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who waded in the issue.
Ibrahim in his statement in Abuja titled: “Presidential intervention and notice of withdrawal suit No.
FHC /ABJ/ CS/588/2024,”said: “The suit is now withdrawn due to the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
“The President called me, had a meeting with me, and assured me that he will as the leader of the party improve on internal democracy within our party, and i will need to withdraw the case to enable him to chart a way forward.
“The Governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, earlier visited my Asokoro residence for several hours after another unsuccessful visit to my hotel room in Akure.
“I cannot disobey the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because the issue am fighting for is not personal.
“It is simply to improve internal democracy to which the President has promised improvement. My respect for the President is absolute!
“Let me use this opportunity to thank Mr. President for the words of wisdom and encouragement during my meeting with him which lasted over one hour and his various interactions with me on the telephone during which he emphasized his commitment to internal democracy over and over again. Thank you, Mr. President.
“The withdrawal of this legendary suit coincides with the first anniversary of Mr. President’s incredible performance in office, and this is my gift of the ‘cake’ of the first anniversary”
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