Obi, Baba-Ahmed absent as Labour Party unveils presidential campaign council

Peter Obi, standard bearer of the Labour Party (LP), was absent on Wednesday when his presidential campaign council unveiled its members.

Datti Baba-Ahmed, the vice-presidential candidate of the LP, also failed to show up at the event.

While the event was ongoing, Obi tweeted that he was attending the 52nd Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) conference.

“I just arrived at the 52nd ICAN Annual Accountants Conference. -PO,” the former governor of Anambra wrote.

I just arrived at the 52nd ICAN Annual Accountants Conference. -PO pic.twitter.com/vo0Zb4cxOd

— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) October 12, 2022

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Doyin Okupe, director-general of the campaign council, said the processes through which Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar emerged as presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are “dishonourable” and “flawed”.

“In all honesty, these errors of selfish and opportunistic political manipulation are not only short-sighted and dangerous, but strike at the very heart of Nigeria’s peaceful coexistence, and in fact the very survival of the nation as an entity,” Okupe said.

“And that is why, in response to this affront to good judgement, more than at any time in our history, our country is today witnessing her hottest, fiercest and most dynamic citizen-led political experience, spearheaded largely by the youth population.

The director-general of the LP campaign described the ‘Obidient’ movement as organic.

“At this juncture, for the avoidance of doubt, let me state here clearly that our party, the Labour Party, as well as the Obi-Datti presidential ticket of the party, have not spent a kobo to organise, influence, or secure the massive following and support we have been getting from the Obidient Movement to date,” he added.