An internal wrangling has ensued within the Bauchi State chapter of the Labour Party over the state’s leadership management of the party’s affairs.
The crisis began shortly after the flag-off of Presidential campaign rally in Bauchi state.
Recall that Obi had on Thursday, along with his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, LP national Chairman and other party stakeholders were in Bauchi State to flag off his campaign at the Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa Memorial Stadium.
However in a swift development, some candidates of the party in the north eastern state, especially those vying for legislative offices, held a Press Conference threatening to dump the party over what they described as maltreatment and sidelining by the party leadership in the State.
While addressing Journalists on behalf of the aggrieved candidates, Mallam Shabbir Duguri who is the LP candidate for Duguri/Gwana Constituency in the State House of Assembly said that they were not carried along in the affairs of the party.
“You know that our Presidential candidate, Peter Obi was in Bauchi, but we as candidates were completely sidelined. Nobody told us what the programme was. We were not allowed to play any role before, during and after the programme.”
“We are the people at the grassroots. We have strong support base but the leadership of the LP in the State is not carrying us along. We don’t know what is going on in the party” he said
The candidates alleged that they were told that the Presidential candidate said that he does not need their support to win election in Bauchi State because he has other more important people working for him.
“Though we did not hear that directly from Peter Obi. But what happened during the campaign was an indication that something is fishy. We were not allowed to go close to where he was neither were we presented with flags despite the fact that our names as candidates have been displayed by INEC” Shabbir added
Also speaking, another candidate, MK Said, LP candidate for Pali State Constituency lamented that they were neglected in the affairs of the party in the state, adding that they have spent their money to float the party in the State.
He alleged that the sum of N50 million was sent to the leadership of the party in the State for mobilization and logistics for the rally but the leadership of the party in the State sat on the money at the detriment of the entire membership of the LP in the State.
He called on to the Presidential candidate of the LP to look into their grievances before it is too late, if he actually wants to win election in the State and threatened that the Labour party will not win if they were not listened to.
“We joined LP because of the good Peter Obi. But as it is now, we have been disappointed by what is happening. He should immediately look into the matter and resolve the issue. We are giving him four days from today to act or we and our supporters will go to where we are valued” he said
All other candidates from Giade, Shira, Katagum, Jama’are and other LGAs, alleged that the party chairman in the State is running the party as a private business, excluding every other person from knowing what is going on in the party.
The 21 state House of Assembly Candidates as well as those contesting for the House of Representatives under the LP said that at the expiration of the ultimatum given to the leadership of the party, they will be left with no option other than to jettison the LP for the Presidential election and direct their supporters to vote for another Presidential candidate.
They however said that they will go ahead with their aspirations of becoming legislators under the LP, having been cleared by INEC to contest during the elections.