Founder, Rescue Nigeria Movement, Sheikh Rufai Al-Saddiq has called on the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi to keep to his alleged agreement to compensate Mr Faduri Oluwadare Joseph whom the party asked to withdraw for him ahead of the Asaba convention.
Obi had joined the party seven days before the Asaba convention which was held on May 29, 2022, and clinched the Labour Party Presidential ticket in a landslide victory polling 96 out of the 98 delegate’s votes while one vote was cast for Prof. Pat Utomi and the other void vote out of the 104 delegates announced.
Prof. Pat Utomi, Olubusola Emmanuel Tella and Faduri Joseph were presidential candidates that stepped down for Mr Peter Obi. Sheikh Al-Saddiq described the part of the negotiation to cede the presidential slot of the LP to him after he left his former party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to join the LP in advance of his presidential ambition was to compensate those who left the slot to pave way for his emergence.
Addressing a world press conference in Abuja, Sheikh Rufai Al-Siddiq, said Mr Obi has not honoured the agreement and has forced the group to call his attention publicly to address the matter as such a deceitful act cannot be supported for a man who seeks the public office of the stature of the Nation’s presidency.
“We are compelled to make public the sad experience of our leader, Oluwadare Faduri Joseph, after ceding his presidential ambition to Peter Obi, has been left on the sidelines after exhausting all avenues to be compensated for all his pre-campaign expenses.
“It may interest you to note that His Excellency Oluwadare Fadure Joseph, is one of the first loyal party members to seek the 2023 Presidential nomination from the party. In fact, the Labour Party became our baby as we woke up the sleeping party, using his personal resources and that of the members of the Rescue Nigeria Movement.
“We absorbed millions of our committed followers into the Labour Party across the country to kick start a party that had been moribund for a while and we champion the compass of the party as stipulated in the Labour Party guidelines.
“Our principal bought the presidential form for the sum of N 30 million to participate in the party’s presidential primaries. Unfortunately, he was restricted from participating in the presidential primary election after purchasing the form with a fabricated kangaroo consensus of Mr Peter Obi, as forced by the party
“It is on record that His Excellency, Faduri Oluwadare Joseph, was forced to step down for Peter Obi under duress. With proof that will be released to the public when the time comes.
When Tribune Online enquired about the said agreement from the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, he said there was no such agreement and that instead members of the party should rally around Obi and get at the victory that beckons on the party come 2023.
Abure, who emphasized that there was no agreement, stressed that the candidate saw a slim chance of pulling through the convention and withdrew from the race.
“For the contest in Asaba Primaries, Joseph saw that he would not be able to win the primaries. He voluntarily withdrew from the race, there was no agreement whatsoever was reached.
“Generally, as a party member we carry everybody along, once you are a member of the party and participate in the activities of the party, we provide a level playing field for every person. Note that he was not the only participant in the primaries, all those who did, for example, Prof. Pat Utomi, Emmanuel Tella and others.
“They all saw that Peter Obi’s better, including himself and they all withdrew and decided to support him.
“This is the true position, there was not any agreement as to what should be done.
“The interest of every member of the party at this time is for us to rally together and team up with our presidential candidate so that we can enthrone a presidential candidate who can be able to turn the political narratives in the country.
“We suspect are aware that this is a political era, where opposition parties are threatened by LP popularity and the programme that it has. So it is not new that we have people who are induced by other political parties.
“In any case, we are yet to win. Even if there is going to be any sharing of portfolio or anything, it would be after winning. I think these are my few responses, as it relates to Faduri,” the National Chairman of the Labour party said.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then