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From Idu Jude, Abuja
The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) and Chairman of the screening committee, Senator Nenadi Usman, has revealed that the committee waived the screening exercise for the party leader and incumbent Governor of Abia State, Chief Alex Otti.
Senator Nenadi, while addressing the media on the outcome of the screening of aspirants, said the party had earlier purchased nomination forms for the governor and that the waiver also covered his exemption from screening.
Senator Nenadi asked: “Is it possible for the leader of the House to come for screening, just like it’s done in other parties? Is it possible our leader buys forms in the party that he nurtures? Well, we had waived it off for him. Actually, we waived it off for him. It was the funds. We took the funds. If you remember, we gave him a waiver. We took the funds, gave them to him, and told him we didn’t expect him to pay anything for it. We also had a ceremony, I don’t know if you were there, where we presented the form. Not just his form, but several other forms. So he is accepted for it.”
Meanwhile, Labour Party presidential aspirants for the forthcoming party primaries said they were ready to abide by the party’s consensus decisions regarding the zoning formula.
However, he said this might not be in the party constitution but was a gentleman’s agreement and arrangement for peace within the party.
While taking his turn in the exercise, an aspirant from Benue State and former National Treasurer of the Obidient Movement, Dr Peter Agada, while providing answers to questions from Senator Nenadi Usman’s committee, said his team had been working to ensure the ambition was realised.
“I have been working with the network, working around with me in the movement that I formed immediately after I resigned as the Director of Finance of the Obidient Movement, and the movement has grown. My network across the country is strong.
“There are leaderships, there are memberships, a lot of them in the Labour Party. So I have spoken to them and I shared my vision with them. Of course, the vision is not easy. We’ve been building it for the last 20 years. So we are ready for any intense battle.
“We made a superior mind that got the superior. We will see the battle. That’s what I would consider. As you said, we are hoping to fight, so that the structure works between 2020 and 2023.
“I was the chairman of the Support Groups Council of the party. I had over 500 support groups under me. The groups were connected to the Unified Council. We are not afraid to build it again.”
On the capacity to mobilise more Nigerians, Dr Peter said: “I mentioned inside there while I was with the screening committee now that there are over 20 million new children, new kids that were not up to 18 and above in 2023, who after this will grow another strong movement in Nigeria and it’s growing.”
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He further explained that despite the crises that recently rocked the LP, most members were still keeping faith. “You see, we have a lot of other members like me who didn’t move. They didn’t shift. They stayed with the local party. Some of them went into other places. We’re bringing them back. So our movement is going to pick up again. All they need to see is someone who is led by ideology as strong or even better, somebody talking very lucidly with a passion that resonates with them. And they will come and they are competing. We are already someone. Beyond the defeat.
“The people within my house, within my family household, among the kids who were not qualified years ago are now qualified. They just became 18 and above within the last three years or so. And if I as a person can have that, imagine the number of young people who are without a party across the nation.”
He said his mission was, first of all, to go to these young people, get them and bring them back, or get them into the platform. He added that what was required was the formation of the group. “It’s the South West party. We love them, including the whole democratic movement in Nigeria in Obidient 2.0. Actually, both with the mantra of the party’s mantra of zoning to the south.”
Another presidential aspirant from Ebonyi State, 35-year-old Samuel Nwigwe, who has lived abroad, said the rot in the Nigerian system drove his desire to reset many administrative anomalies in the country. He said no country in the world was moulded by God but by humans, and as such he had come to bring a wealth of experience to take Nigeria to an enviable height.
“I have been around the world and also managed food and successful businesses abroad and have been around countless with good processes. I believe I have learned a lot over the years.”
Chief Samuel Nwigwe is a London-based entrepreneur and the Chief Executive Officer of Aresky Oil and Gas, with a subsidiary registered in Nigeria operating as Oil Mack Nig Ltd.
He holds a Master’s degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom, and is a Fellow Member of the Association of Business Executives (UK).
He is a renowned entrepreneur and international businessman. Chief Samuel Nwigwe has over a decade of experience across diverse industries, including:
- Mining
- Oil and gas
- Health and social care
- Aviation and tourism
He is widely recognised for his strategic business leadership, international experience and commitment to excellence across multiple sectors.
Also speaking, Chief Solomon Onyejido from Njaba/Ikwo Federal Constituency commended the screening process put together by the Labour Party.
He said the LP had lately become one of the formidable opposition parties in Nigeria. “And I can tell you that the party is going to take over power from the government, and in my constituency, we’re not talking about the party, we’re talking about who represents the people.”
Chief Solomon, however, decried the lack of amenities in his constituency, saying this had forced him to vie for the position. “We don’t have roads, we don’t have water, we don’t even have some communities that don’t have electricity in this area. I can’t sit down and watch my people suffer. That’s more reason why I’m sure I can give them an impactful and responsible representation.”
