Former House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara has explained why he and other Northern Christian leaders chose not to back Peter Obi for president of the Labour Party (LP).
It should be remembered that the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders who decided against the Muslim-Muslim ticket declared on Friday that they would back Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The group clarified their choice in a statement, saying they did not endorse Obi because they don’t think he can win the 2023 presidential race.
Even if the Labour Party candidate wins the election, they said, he might not be able to successfully lead the government.
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They argued that Obi’s victory would be detrimental to the nation’s precarious political climate because it would result in a minority administration taking office.
However, they contended that if the Labour Party can keep up its current rate, it will eventually become a major force in the nation’s political arena.
Their claim is as follows:
From the existing structure of the Labour Party and even from the records of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as it stands for 2023 elections, even if all their candidates win in the 2023 elections, can the party still produce the President? Very unlikely indeed.
Assuming without conceding that they even produce the President, can they (LP) run the government? Not likely. The results of 5 and 6 above will be to form a minority Government with devastating effect on National political stability further impelling the fragile health of our Country.
Furthermore, there is no way a keen political observer will not see that there is a major disconnect between Peter Obi as a candidate and Labour, which is indicative of the fact that he is not running a collegial political structure in a diverse Country like Nigeria.
It is, however, respectively observed that LP is a party to be watched in the future only if it sustains the tempo and maintains the mass movement while at the same time building up its structures towards subsequent elections.
The Northern Christian leaders also stated that they chose not to support Rabiu Kwankwaso and his New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) because it does not appear that they intend to run in the 2023 elections.
Dogara and his supporters contended that the NNPP appears to be well-positioned for the future.
“The NNPP on the other hand has similar characteristics with the LP and there is no need repeating same except that ~ NNPP appears to be building a party for the future with – little or no impact in the 2023 elections,” they said.
