Labour Party Denies Involvement in Planned Protest

The Labour Party (LP) has firmly denied claims from the Presidency that it is involved in a planned nationwide protest. Obiora Ifoh, the National Publicity Secretary of the LP, issued a statement titled “Obi, Labour Party not involved in ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest,” dismissing any connection between the LP, its leader Peter Obi, and the proposed protest.

Ifoh stated, “There is no truth in the tweet. It is a complete fabrication. The Labour Party is known for its peaceful stance and has consistently urged its followers to maintain peace. We are not a lawless group, as demonstrated following the last general election. It is, therefore, absurd to link our supporters to the planned protest. Neither the Labour Party, Peter Obi, nor our supporters are organizing any protests.”

He also criticized the government for trying to find scapegoats for the current state of governance in Nigeria. “It is immature for the government to seek someone to blame for the poor governance we are experiencing. Nigeria can improve if the right policies are implemented. We also advise that certain aides of the Presidency should be restrained from making inflammatory statements that could destabilize the nation under the guise of politics,” he added.

Campaign Spokesman Condemns Allegations Against Obi

Yunusa Tanko, the spokesman for Peter Obi’s campaign, also responded to the accusations from the Presidency. He argued that it is unreasonable to think that Nigerians cannot protest against bad governance unless they are incited by the opposition.

“With all due respect, is it Peter Obi who goes to the market to buy rice and beans? Why are people so unfair to him? The hardship affects every Nigerian. We are discussing the difficulties imposed on Nigerians by this government,” Tanko said.

He continued, “Even government officials are feeling the pain because their distant relatives are continually asking them for money due to the hardships. Is Obi the one telling their families about the rising cost of foodstuffs, including why a bag of rice now costs N80,000? If they are looking for a scapegoat, it should not be Obi.

“They should take responsibility for the situation they have created for Nigerians. This has nothing to do with Peter Obi. It is a reaction from the people, by the people, and for the people, which is a fundamental right in a democracy. The allegation is baseless and unfair. The APC government should look inward and find someone to blame within their ranks,” Tanko concluded.