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A former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, recently traced his steps to the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) who are the owners of the Labour Party (LP), where he is the standard-bearer.

During the 10th-anniversary memorial lecture of former NLC president, Pascal Bafyau, in Abuja, the Congress’ incumbent President, Ayuba Wabba, used the opportunity to announce the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Labour and INEC ratifying the court judgement, officially giving ownership of the LP to NLC.

Obi also took the opportunity to make an appearance at the lecture. This was the first official union of all stakeholders of the party to meet with their candidate after Obi’s adoption as a candidate.

Thus, to the LP, it is no more news that the ‘Obidient Movement’ that was not given a chance, is now gathering momentum and is becoming a force to be reckoned with.

Even the well-established, so-called big parties are expressing worry over the snowballing of the movement into a major political threat. This has been testified to by Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki.

The youth followership, for Obi which is today known as the ‘Obidient Movement,’ is showing commitment to the cause.

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NLC President, Wabba, reiterated the need for Labour to participate in government and fight from within.

After the visit of Obi, Wabba, in a press statement, stated, “History was made on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, as the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, visited the Labour House. Peter Obi was received by the leadership of Congress.

“Thousands of Peter Obi Volunteers Electioneering Team (POVET) members in branded T-shirts, Face caps, and banners, were on the ground to welcome their candidate too.

“The coming of Peter Obi to the Labour House is significant in several ways. First, the visit signifies a major shift in Nigeria’s political landscape. This is the first time that organised Labour in Nigeria is throwing its weight behind a presidential candidate in the run-up to a general election in Nigeria.

“The resolve by the leadership of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to support Peter Obi’s candidature is in tandem with the long-term drive by Nigeria’s labour movement to be more visible in the political space in Nigeria.

“Given the chronic failure of successive governments in Nigeria to meet basic governance aspirations of citizens, especially since the restoration of democratic rule in 1999, Nigerian workers have decided to move from street activism to electoral activism as a way of actualising many of the industrial, economic and social demands they have been making on government.

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“Second, the coming of Peter Obi to the Labour House establishes the fact that Peter Obi’s presidential candidature is a pan-Nigerian project. Organised Labour, being the most prominent and enduring pan-Nigerian organisation remains the most consistent emblem of national unity, solidarity, and development. This makes the statement that Mr. Peter Obi is a symbol of national unity, solidarity, and development.”

The Labour leader added, “When Peter Obi talks about moving the country from sharing to production formula, he is talking about one of the things that unify us.”

He then enumerated: “When Peter Obi asks Nigerians to identify with the social democratic ideology of the Labour Party, it is about the critical foundations that unite every Nigerian – effective investment in public schools; public healthcare; and social protection for all.

“When Peter Obi talks about upgrading our physical infrastructure, he is talking about electricity, roads, waterways, and railways that we all use. Nigerians understand that any other form of “national unity” is an agenda in deceit, divide-and-rule, and plundering of the commonwealth.”

According to Wabba, “Peter Obi’s visit to the Labour House resonates with the desire by most Nigerians for a new Nigeria where there is law and order, where every Nigerian feels secure, where there are equal opportunities for all, and where life is in abundance.

“This dream Nigeria has been the pursuit of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the reason the NLC has for decades been at the forefront of the struggle against an incessant increase in petrol price, insecurity, electoral brigandage, economic deprivation, slave wages, hunger, and oppressive industrial-cum-social policies.

“The partnership between Mr Peter Obi and Labour, especially as a midwife under the leadership of Ayuba Wabba, his TUC counterpart, and the current national leadership of the Labour Party led by Barrister Julius Abure, represents a very strong statement in the collective desire to reclaim Nigeria and recover her destiny as the lighthouse of the black race.

“The coming of Peter Obi to the Labour House signifies the understanding that it is the Nigerian workers, the youth, and the long-oppressed people of Nigeria that will make all the difference in the 2023 general election.

“This intent is already manifested in the recent unprecedented surge by millions of Nigerians all over the country to get their Permanent Voters Card (PVC). The ongoing PVC revolution already signals that the ballot pendulum would swing ‘OBIdiently’ to usher in a new Nigeria of our dreams.”

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He added, “Our commitment in POVET is to add value to the collective aspiration of the new Nigeria of our dreams by mobilising at least one million volunteers who would canvass at the grassroots in every nook and cranny of Nigeria for the election of Peter Obi as the 16th president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 29th May 2023.

“We, therefore, call on all Nigerians to endeavour to register for their PVCs, collect their PVCs, safeguard their PVCs, and use their PVCs very ‘OBIdiently’ on election day.”

Meanwhile, before this, Labour had promised full commitment to Obi’s campaign.

The two labour centres, NLC and TUC pledged to support, campaign, and do everything within their power to ensure that the LP candidate in the 2023 presidential election comes tops.

Wabba stated that Obi is among the finest Nigerians and the first presidential candidate of LP to be recognised by Labour.

He said the NLC is solidly behind LP, and will fully mobilise to ensure the victory of the party come 2023 general elections.

He also recalled that workers’ unions have realised that strikes and protests alone cannot change the narratives in Nigeria, especially about workers’ welfare and fair treatment of the working people, hence Labour must venture fully into politics and work hard to support candidates whose mantra will make life better for their members and Nigerians at large.

On his part, TUC President, Quadri Olaleye, said Obi is a face among the presidential candidates all Labour unions are pleased with and are ready to work with, and that the entire Labour movement has accepted, adopted,
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