LAGOS Party Chieftain, Dr. OSWALD OLATUNBOSUN Explains
It is no longer news that the Labour Party has been enmeshed in crisis since 2023. Since the end of the General elections stakeholders of the party have been battling each other with several court cases, with the result that no one seems to know how the party got entangled in this intricate web, with the Caretaker Committee battling Julius Abure and others. And the only Governor produced by the party and Senator Kingibe along with others have been suspended. And the Labour Party has been in turmoil for months.
What are the key issues? City People’s SEYE KEHINDE & ISAAC ABIMBADE got a Labour Party Chieftain, Dr. Oswald Olatunbosun, who is the former State Deputy Chairman, in Lagos State to explain why the party is in crisis.
Below are excerpts.
Yesterday, the Labour Party National Publicity Secretary appeared on TV and spoke about the party’s decision to suspend Governor Alex Otti and Sen. Ireti Kingibe & Co. What is going on?
We have a party Constitution and established procedures in our party. We can’t just wake up one day and suspend people without due process. A Disciplinary committee has already been set up, headed by Dr. Olorunfemi, one of the national Deputy Chairmen. They have invited everyone to respond to various allegations, including those against Alex Otti.
One of the key questions he needs to address is how a local government election was conducted in the state. Although he is a member of the Labour Party, he decided to move everything to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), which is purely anti-party behavior. According to our Constitution, he should have been suspended a long time ago. But we exercised leniency. He didn’t seem to understand the political implications of his actions.
Furthermore, I spoke with some national executives during the crisis involving the Lamidi Apapa faction. If His Excellency, Peter Obi, had intervened when this situation arose, it might not have escalated to this point. His silence during that critical time contributed to the division within the party. While we do not expect him to champion actions contrary to the party’s Constitution, if they decide to suspend him or if the disciplinary committee summons him, it is not a military proceeding. If allegations are made against him and he realizes his mistake and apologizes, he may be pardoned. That is how the Labour Party operates. However, if he believes he is right or ignores the disciplinary committee, appropriate actions will be taken. He may face suspension for a few months, and if there is no sign of remorse, he could be suspended indefinitely.
Is it true that over 54,000 polling units were without agents in the last presidential election? This was confirmed by the publicity secretary of your party. How true is this?
Let me be clear: the Labour Party won the 2023 election. I have contested elections in the past; for instance, I ran for the House of Representatives in 2007 under the Fresh Democratic Party, a party without a solid structure. The election was intense, and I received a lot of votes. However, on the day of collation, our party wasn’t represented at the polling units or collating centers. One of my friends, who was there, called me around 1 a.m. asking where our party representatives were. We didn’t have anyone on the ground.
In the morning, they announced ACN as the winner, followed by PDP, and I lost by a narrow margin without any agents present to represent us. Thus, it is indeed possible to win an election, but if you don’t have people representing you, you may not be declared the winner. I can’t blame the INEC or the government for this; I have to take responsibility myself and hold my party accountable for not doing our work properly. These are the issues the Labour Party should be focusing on now instead of all this infighting.
How do you plan to address the issue of membership before the elections?
The reality is that this situation can be resolved. Many people are being misled by the information circulating about the current National Executive Council (NEC). It’s quite damaging, and one can’t help but wonder how these individuals manage to function given the circumstances. However, it’s crucial for individuals to build themselves up. Politics isn’t just about sentiments; it’s also about interests and adhering to rules. If you really want to succeed, you need to follow the rules.
There are those who do not want Abure in the position. They’ve labeled him as being too transactional, but why bring up transactional issues now? This is 2025, what happened in 2022 should not be relevant anymore. Why bring it up now, when we are trying to reorganize the party?
Some people have accused Sen. Nenadi Usman as not being a member of Labour Party. Is this true?
I don’t know her too well. Regarding Senator Nenadi Usman, I initially thought she was Hausa, only to learn she is actually Igbo. This raises the question: if she is Igbo, why the conflict? The previous argument was that since the presidential candidate comes from the East, the National Chairman should not come from the South again. However, the Labour Party’s Constitution does not state that if the National Chairman is from one region, the presidential candidate must be from another. If we want to change Nigeria, we need to let certain dynamics unfold: the best candidates should be able to run, regardless of their regional background.
When bringing in another candidate from that region, you suggest wanting a Northerner to give a Southerner a chance. Are you implying that Peter Obi will always be the presidential candidate for the Labour Party? That approach isn’t democratic; there should be fair play among all candidates.
Many people believe that external forces are trying to prevent the Labour Party from stabilizing. Do you agree with that perspective?
Many people have expressed this view, but I am convinced that the Labour Party can resolve its issues internally. I don’t believe that external forces are at play; instead, it stems from purely selfish interests and ambitions.
If they want to resolve the issues in the Labour Party, it doesn’t require external intervention. The real causes of the problems lie within; it’s the selfish interests of certain individuals that are hindering the Labour Party. Some seek control over the party machinery for their own negotiations.
I stated that the current situation is anti-party and that the party should make a strong statement against it. However, the party has not done so. If it comes down to it, even if only 10 people sign up for Labour Party, we must do what is needed. Eventually, people will fall in line. The Labour Party remains the only party for the masses and is not owned by any individual at the top. In contrast, some other parties are.
This internal struggle for the life and soul of the Labour Party arises from the fact that they did not recognize that people could genuinely show interest in it. There were discussions about merging the Labour Party with others, proposing a coalition. I was one of those who opposed this idea. We do not need to mix with any other political party. Look at how many members we had in 2023 when people chose to vote for Labour Party. Now, consider how many members the APC and PDP have. All we need to do is appeal to the public and present good candidates.
That is the key for any successful political party. However, party discipline is essential. Without it, we will fail. Even if Governor Otti is not suspended from the party, he may struggle to win the Abia State ticket if there is no order within the party. Just look at the upcoming local government election in Lagos State; many people feel it’s a waste of resources. They question how Labour Party can even win here when the party is so disorganized.
We have dedicated members. I was part of the presidential monitoring committee, and I did not accept any payment. I fueled my vehicle and traveled to eight local governments in Lagos during the presidential election. This is part of the information that seems to be lacking. People are not well informed. I attended a meeting in the Southwest and went to see some of my contacts because I believe it’s crucial to educate people.
The Obidients are not a political party; without a political party, they cannot effectively showcase anything.
Some people claim to be “Obedients,” but they are not members of the Labour Party; they are just deceiving themselves. They argue that they can support any political party. Others insist, “No, I am a member of the Labour Party.” In one of the by-elections, someone identified as an “Obedient” but stated she was not a Labour Party member. However, when it came to time for the election, she expressed her desire to contest on the Labour Party ticket, even though she previously claimed not to be part of it. They seem to want to turn this into some sort of movement.
I told them it doesn’t work that way. You can join the Labour Party and form your own caucus within it. Just as there are different caucuses in the APC, you can create a caucus within the Labour Party as well.
Is Peter Obi your former presidential candidate still a member of the Labour Party?
I presume he is still a member since he hasn’t declared affiliation with any other political party. I strongly believe that’s the case.
Peter Obi and Julius Abure used to be friends, but their relationship has changed over the past years. Julius Abure has repeatedly stated that he is uncertain whether Peter Obi will be the party’s flag-bearer in the upcoming election. What do you have to say about this?
It is not a given that Peter Obi must be. Labour Party is open to all Nigerians. I often tell people that I might decide to run for President myself in 2027. To put it in perspective, I will be 60 in a few weeks. I have been in Politics for almost 40 years and have previously contested elections as a councillor, chairman, member of the House of Representatives, and senator. The only two positions I have not contested are governor and president. Labour Party is inclusive; anyone can run—we cannot close the door to others.
There are many talented individuals, even outside the country. Before Peter Obi joined Labour Party, there was someone from the U.S. who was almost the sole presidential candidate before another candidate from Eti Osa also expressed the desire to run. They were encouraged to step down. The U.S. candidate was even prepared and had formed his own organization nationwide, but he wasn’t well-known because he had spent most of his life in the United States. However, he did have support from the diaspora, as many Nigerians are planning to return to Nigeria. He volunteered and joined the Labour Party. Ultimately, during negotiations led by Doyin Okupe, the decision favored Peter Obi, and that’s how he secured the ticket—it was resolved amicably.
If the party decides to nominate someone other than Peter Obi, wouldn’t that negatively impact your party in the next general election?
It will not. Let me clarify something. When we were at the forefront of the movement in 2022, the term “Obidients” originated from the EndSARS protests. The EndSARS movement was organic; it emerged spontaneously. The youth had been building up to this moment, and when the 2022 election period came, Nigerians were determined that there must be change. That was when Obi began engaging on social media to connect with the youth. The agitation had already started before Obi entered the scene. It wasn’t when he came in that the movement began; it was brewing prior, and the name “Obidients” came to represent that movement centered around him.
I still have the demands of the EndSARS protesters saved on my phone. These are not demands from the Obidient movement; they are EndSARS demands. When people saw Obi, they rallied around him, but those who now call themselves “Obidients” were not part of the original movement. They only joined when Obi became involved. This group is often more sectional, whereas the EndSARS movement had a mixed crowd. Many of them seem opportunistic. The true Obidients, the ones genuinely advocating for change, will support a strong candidate when they see one. I can guarantee that.
His Excellency Peter Obi should have reached out to those supporters; Lagos State gave him the highest number of votes. We expected him to at least visit Lagos. If he cannot address everyone, he should at least call all the executive members, local government chairpersons, and ward chairmen together. That is how leaders behave. Everyone must unite as a collective force.
Why isn’t he doing this now? That is a question that needs to be asked. And it surprises many, including myself. Many people look up to him as a leader, and he must provide direction. If he fails to guide his followers, then he is misleading them, which can lead to confusion and division. That is what we are witnessing right now.
The Labour Party remains the only viable platform that can offer Nigeria a new beginning. I stand by this belief; no other platform in Nigeria currently offers the same potential.
We’ve seen the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) try and there is a new coalition forming.
Is there really a new coalition?
What we can see is a Coalition similar to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Look at the people involved now; aren’t they the same individuals who formed the APC in the first place? They are coming together once again to create another coalition—it’s just the same old story. The hands that created the problem cannot solve it.
These players you see are the ones who contributed to the current issues. We need something stronger, something new to resolve these problems. They are too selfish, with one singular focus. They are looking in a particular direction and ignoring everything else.
Nigeria is still the richest country on the surface of the earth, but we lack the necessary Leaders to take us to the promised land, and that’s my perspective.
If you were to identify the biggest problem facing the Labour Party today from an insider’s point of view, what would you identify?
The biggest problem facing the Labour party today from an insider’s point of view is the selfishness! of our Leaders Selfishness! Let me explain why I say this. Many people sacrificed their lives for the Labour Party to become what it is today. The name ‘Labour Party’ that resonates worldwide is a result of the blood, sweat, and tears of those individuals.
Who do you attribute this selfishness to?
It applies to all of them. I don’t want to credit any single person in this matter. When Julius Aburi, the National Chairman, recognized the issues within the party, he understood the landscape. What he should have done is to involve some of his people more actively. Although he made an effort by establishing a directorate for the Obedients and incorporating it into the Labour Party, it was the same Obedients who rejected this initiative. They insisted they didn’t want a directorate under the Labour Party; they wanted to remain independent.
We ignored the party’s Constitution in this matter. Moreover, H.E. Obi has been too silent. He speaks on various outside issues while his own house is burning, and he isn’t addressing the problems within. This silence is disconcerting and not a good sign.
