The spokesperson, of the Obi-Datti campaign organisation, Yinusa Tanko has disclosed that the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi relied on the oppressed masses across Nigeria to win the presidential election on February 25, 2023.
He added that the defection of the party’s governorship candidate in the July 16, 2022 poll in Osun will not in any way affect Obi’s chances in the state.
Tanko disclosed on Friday, January 6, 2022, while speaking ahead of the party’s presidential campaign rally in Osogbo on Saturday.
According to him, Obi stands a better chance of becoming Nigeria’s president ahead of other candidates.
“The defection of Lasun Yusuf from the Labour Party to the Peoples Democratic Party does not affect us in any way, we have our structure over time. Immediately after the defection of Lasun, the party has gone back to galvanize the structure of the party all over the state. Article continues after this Ads
“The structure we are talking about are the youths, artisans, NLC, TUC, pensioners, the common man not served for decades, and the oppressed masses. We’ve galvanized these structures for the battle ahead which is the 2023 General Election for Peter Obi.
“Out of all the presidential contestants, Nigerians trust only Obi, he is the only candidate that is not buying votes, you could see the love expressed by youths and Nigerians who are spending their resources for his campaign.
“Obi has capacity, character, consistency, compassion and commitment to nationhood. He has been able to make a mantra from consumption to production. He is the only governor that left 75 billion in confers of state government.
“We are taking the centre of the city of Osogbo at Freedom park for Obi’s campaign. Peter Obi’s support group are in large numbers in Osun state and over 71 percent of Nigerian youths are behind him”, he said.
In a related development, the Osun State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Adekunle Akindele, has accused the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Timothy Owoeye, of betraying his oath of office and undermining the sanctity of state authority by declaring that the immediate past governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, would return to office as governor before July 5, 2023.
Recall that Owoeye predicted that Oyetola would return to office before July 5 this year.
He spoke at the inauguration of the Osun State branch of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council in Osogbo on Thursday.
He said,
“In 2019, the Supreme Court gave its final verdict on July 5, affirming the victory of Oyetola as governor. If you know them, go and tell them that before July 5, 2023, Oyetola will be returned as Osun Governor.
“They thought they could manipulate the results of the election in their favour, but we thank God that the results of the Bimodal Voter’s Accreditation System exposed them. The defeat suffered by the All Progressives Congress in the July 16 Osun governorship poll was a temporary setback.”
Oyetola also tasked members of the party to remain resolute and united and expressed delight in the firmness of the party’s structure and the commitment of the leadership and members of the APC in the state, saying “it is a sign that the party remains the one to beat anytime and any day in Osun.”
Spokesperson to Osun governor, Olawale Rasheed could not be immediately reached for a reaction to the claim by Owoeye, as calls to his line rang out and he had not responded to the text sent to him on the matter, as of the time of filing this report.
But Akindele, while reacting to the statement, said his party was alarmed that a sitting Speaker openly “exposed a sinister agenda to undermine the integrity of the judiciary by making proclamations on a matter that is subjudice.”
He also called on Owoeye to apologise to the judiciary and retract his statement, urging the people of the state to vote against APC in the February polls.
The statement further read in part,
“We at first decried the failure of the Speaker to respect the office he is occupying, to rise above petty partisan politics.
“We condemn in no small measure the lack of courage and demise of statesmanship demonstrated by the House Speaker, who today openly revolted against the will of Osun people and who has unashamedly embraced ignoble falsehoods and propaganda of a defeated Oyetola.”
