The vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Occasion (LP) within the 2023 common election, Dr Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has described former members of the celebration who’ve defected to different political platforms as “political travellers.”
Baba-Ahmed made the comment on Wednesday whereas addressing celebration trustworthy at a rally held on the LP nationwide headquarters in Abuja, the place he additionally hinted at a potential presidential ambition on the celebration’s platform forward of the 2027 elections.
His feedback adopted the recent defection of the LP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Obi formally joined the ADC after months of consultations with members of the opposition coalition, which incorporates former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he served as working mate through the 2019 presidential election beneath the Peoples Democratic Occasion.
Earlier than his defection, Obi had urged his supporters, popularly referred to as Obidients, to align with the ADC.
Talking on the Abuja rally, Baba-Ahmed appeared to take a swipe at some former celebration members who, in line with him, have been welcomed into the LP with its presidential ticket in 2022 however later selected to go away.
“I had earlier engaged all celebration members to reconcile, and whereas some heeded my calls, others took offence and proceeded to defect,” he mentioned.
“No regrets to me for this position, nevertheless, as a pacesetter on this celebration. On this defection case, neither my humble self nor the Labour Occasion are the aggressors.”
Describing the defectors as transient politicians, he added, “A bunch of political travellers welcomed in 2022 with a presidential ticket proceed with their journey. Easy.”
Baba-Ahmed mentioned the LP stays happy with its efficiency regardless of challenges, noting that the celebration recorded notable electoral successes within the final common election.
“With all humility, Labour Occasion can flaunt its success. Within the presence of economic difficulties, in an period of perfected electoral fraud, the Labour Occasion produced a state governor, eight senators, about 40 Home of Representatives members and about 50 state Home of Meeting members,” he mentioned.
He added that though lots of these elected on the celebration’s platform have since defected, he stays “proud to be related to actual members” of the LP.
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