Former presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP), former spokesman of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 general elections and now National Coordinator, Obidient Movement, Dr Yunusa Tanko, has opened up on the state of LP and future plans.
In this interview with Sunday Sun, he also spoke on why L.P presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr Peter Obi, is deeply concerned about the face off between Chief Afe Babalola and Dele Farotimi, his visit to the duo, Obidient’s preparation for 2027, assessment of the Tinubu presidency, among others. Excerpts:
What is the position of the Obidients movement concerning the rally they are planning to hold due to the arrest and detention of Dele Farotimi?
We are going to look at our options and see what is going to happen. You are aware, His Excellency, Mr Peter Obi, has waded into the issue and visited the key individuals, Chief Afe Babalola himself and Dele Farotimi and some other stakeholders. Of course, this is to show you how dedicated he is in the peaceful settlement of the issue at hand. He worked so hard on this and even sometimes, he didn’t even sleep just to make sure that the whole issue was brought under control, as it was almost taking different negative dimensions. I have pictures of some of the things that he was doing just to make sure that Dele was released. Now that we have got to this level, we as Obidients will have to go back to our table and see how we can ensure that peace is sustained. So, we need to go back to our drawing table to know the best alternative on the next line of action.
Despite what can be seen ss his good intentions for intervening, or mediating in the issue between Chief Afe Babalola and Farotimi, Obi’s visit didn’t come without generating criticisms. How do you react to such condemnation?
Those criticisising Peter Obi are those who don’t know his personality or what he stands for. In politics, there are moves that are germane to sustain peace. If you know, even Afe Babalola is one of us as Obidients and Farotimi has been a staunch member of Peter Obi support group. So, the question is, if your two children are fighting, will you choose a particular side or take side with one of them? This is particularly so when one of them is our elder. So, if you are wise, you have to make sure that the two different positions by the two parties are not taken to the extreme and I think that is what Mr Obi simply did. Like I said earlier, you will only criticise Peter Obi because you don’t know him or what he stands for. Peter Obi hates atmosphere of rancour and chaos which he has exemplified on several occasions. He mediated because he has to find a balance for his people and the people who so much believe in him. His Excellency has shown tremendous leadership for taking that stand to meditate between the two men. He went out of his way to meet people and said they had to find a way of settling that matter. Not everything was reported, but His Excellency ensured that the issue never escalated.
As head of the Obidient Movement, you should understandably be privy to Peter Obi’s plans. Is he still in the Labour Party and what are the plans of the Obidient Movement ahead of the 2027 election?
At the moment, we are still members of the Labour Party and we have not made any pronouncement against that. When the time comes, all other issues will be discussed, but for now, His Excellency is still a member of the Labour Party; he has not left the party, but if he has such a plan, it will also be made public.
You said ‘we’ in your answer; I thought it was said that members of the Obidient Movement do not belong to any political party, but are championing a new Nigeria through Peter Obi; what has changed now?
Nothing has changed, but you should also remember that not all members of the Obidient Movement are Labour Party members. I agree that a lot of the members of the Obidient Movement are members of the Labour Party. Obidient Movement is such a large, in fact, very large group with common interest, but some are members of the Labour Party while some are not. We have one common interest to see a working Nigeria for all. To endure that Nigeria is fixed for the good of all.
There was this trending talk about a possible merger between Mr Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar and Kwankwaso. As someone very close to Peter Obi, are you aware of such a plan and what is in it for your principal?
heat of this present government. To me that is how politics should be played, he is moving and connecting with the people.
But his critics have condemned his frequent movements around the country, saying this is a ploy ahead of the 2027 election. To them, he hadn’t been doing that and why now…?
same individuals. For instance, there are things you can be given as a judge to do and you actually know that, that thing is wrong. It now behooves on you to do the right thing and preserve your integrity that is what we are talking about. Look, it is not that we don’t have good laws in Nigeria, we have good laws here, but unfortunately people manipulate those laws for their own selfish reasons and to serve their pay masters. If Nigerians want to do the right thing, they can do it, but the first problem is that we have to change our mindsets.
Credit: The Sun