Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Labour Party (LP) has said all is set to announce a substantive running mate for its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure made this known on Tuesday, disclosing that the announcement of a substantive running mate for Obi would be made on July 15.
Abure also disclosed that the proposed alliance between his party and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has completely collapsed.
Describing the presidential candidate of the NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso as selfish, he stated that a northern Muslim will be announced as Peter Obi’s running mate.
Abure made the disclosure while speaking during an interview on the 2023 presidency on Africa Independent Television’s current affairs programme, Focus Nigeria.
Reacting to the statement by Kwankwaso about the impossibility of power to shift to the south, Abure said: “We should be able to manage our diversity and bring all Nigerians together. That is a reasonable thing to do. It is not for him to say, it is the people that will decide.
“Democracy is for the people. The people will decide who will become president in 2023. I want to state clearly that his (Kwankwaso) point of view is parochial and selfish, it does not reflect the aspirations of northern Nigeria.
“In another eight months, we will have the elections. The activities that will crystalize in that election will shock you. Just be patient, let us announce our vice-presidential candidate from the north.
“Northerners are embracing Labour Party. We are expanding in the north and the south. We will get to the stage where a Hausa man and an Igbo man will see themselves as Nigerians. With pragmatic leadership, Nigerians will be detribalized.”
On the choice of a running mate for the party’s flag bearer, Obi, the LP chairman stated that the decision will be followed meticulously by carrying the supporters along even though it is the constitutional right of the presidential candidate.
“The decision of running mate will be made judiciously in the best interest of Nigerians,” he said.