The Labour Party (LP) has strongly disavowed recent remarks by its former vice presidential candidate, Sen. Datti Baba-Ahmed, describing his comments on the legitimacy of President Bola Tinubu’s government as “undemocratic” and “inciting.”
In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr Arabambi Abayomi, and released to journalists on Saturday in Kaduna by the party’s National Secretary, Umar Ibrahim, the LP distanced itself from Baba-Ahmed’s claim that the Tinubu administration is “questionably constitutional.”
“The party has since moved on,” Abayomi said. “For the interest and peace of the nation, the Labour Party accepted the judgment of the Supreme Court. This was not because we were pleased but because of the finality of the Supreme Court’s judgment.”
Abayomi criticised an April 9 meeting allegedly convened by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and LP presidential candidate Peter Obi, during which Baba-Ahmed reportedly repeated his assertion that the government was illegitimate.
He quoted Baba-Ahmed as saying on national television: “The appointments they are making are fake and illegal. The paraphernalia of government they are enjoying, destroying our country, spending our money is only for a little time.”
Calling the remarks “clearly inciting” and “a call for mass action against a constituted authority,” Abayomi warned: “We think there should be a limit to whipping up the public sentiments against a legitimate government.”
Drawing parallels with the Arab Spring, he said: “The Arab Spring that rattled the entire Middle East started when the Arab leaders paid no attention to Bouazizi’s subtle. There was also the persistent galvanisation of the youths against their governments leading into the mass demonstrations, revolts, and revolutions that almost consumed the region.”
He also alleged that Baba-Ahmed had refused to concede the 2023 presidential election and had accused the Tinubu administration of plotting to “dismember Nigeria into six possibly autonomous zones” while inflicting “untold hardship” on citizens.
“These statements,” Abayomi added, “are efforts to whip up sentiments against the government. Nigeria is presently passing through a dangerous and precarious phase, and this needs every well-meaning Nigerian to realise the fragility of the nation by putting politics aside and help to move the nation out of the woods.”
He affirmed LP’s position: “It is within the right of every Nigerian to hold the government accountable for its inability to live up to expectation. However, statements that are inciting and capable of plunging the nation into unwarranted combustion, particularly by the political class, must be avoided.”
On behalf of the party, Abayomi declared: “The Labour Party under the able leadership of Mr Julius Abure, therefore wishes to completely dissociate itself from the unfortunate and reprehensible comments by its former vice presidential candidate.”
Abayomi also addressed remarks allegedly made by Gov. Otti, warning of a “doomsday” for the Abure-led LP leadership.
He described the comment as a “direct threat” to the lives of party executives and urged security agencies to beef up protection around LP leaders.
