Open Letter to Labour Party’s National Chairman
Sir Julius Abure
Sir,
The Obidient Movement, Labour Party, On Corruption and Your Consistent Inconsistencies
First I wish to congratulate you on the well deserved electoral victories of the LP under your watch across the country at the last presidential, NASS, governorship and State Assemblies elections.
Though, our electoral umpire, as enemies of the state has chosen to trample on the wishes of Nigerians in some obvious cases, but we take solace on the fact that the incontrovertible evidence available will make the job of the tribunal easier, now that they are in the eyes of the storm
However, Mr Chairman, I wish to remind you that your party is a major beneficiary of the discontent and loss of faith on the political class by the masses, especially the transactional politics that these dishonourable men and women of power are known for.
This transactional politics has been responsible for the high level of corruption in our society, poverty and lack of some minimum basics for human existence, leading to the huge disconnect from the people they hitherto swore to serve and protect their interest. This no doubt a product of our corrupt leadership recruitment process which the political parties exhibit with impunity
This lack of faith also led to electoral apathy, until posterity threw up one man from the same political class, who sang a different kind of song and made promises we knew he was willing to fulfill, a man who stood tall in morality and integrity, going by evident records of his performance, selfless service and zero tolerance to corruption at his last public position of authority and responsibility as former governor of Anambra State
When Mr Peter Obi happened to the distraught and despondent Nigerians (especially the youths), like they say, old things passed away and everything became new, the political landscape of the country knew something new had hit it (even in their self denial), Nigerians in their millions, excitedly had reason to participate in the then forthcoming elections again, new registrations for the PVC rose astronomically and when it became obvious the party (PDP) under which this our new found messiah hopes to actuallize his vision of a new Nigerian, was still drenched In it’s old garb of transactional politics, he knew it was time to leave to a more people oriented and non transactional environment, this led the current leader of the Nigerian people and his Obidient Movement to anchor with the Labour Party, a political organisation perceived to be masses oriented, being that it is an offshoot of the Labour movement
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Mr Chairman Sir, need I say that before the coming of the Obidient Movement and Peter Obi into your party, the LP was a passive political party in the Nigerian political calculations and had no hope of returning one NASS member on its name in 2023 talk more of a governor, but with the coming of this movement, the political fortunes of the party changed for the better and with the results so far from the last elections as acknowledged by INEC , the rest is history
At this juncture Mr Chairman, it is important to remind you that we the Obidients are not pleased with the news emanating from Imo State on the forthcoming governorship primaries in April, the fact that you have suddenly increased your nomination and expression of interest form to a whooping N25m casts a slur on the integrity of your party and by extension the Obidient Movement which has inadvertently become an integral part of your organisation, even the PDP where our leader Mr Peter Obi, resigned from because of the same cash and carry politics collected N21m for their governorship nominations and expression of interest (lower than what you presently collect, how come?), what is the use criticizing the PDAPC for corruption and transactional politics, when at the slightest wind of success, we are proving not to be better in any way through our actions and inactions.
With N30k as the minimum wage, how many worker (both serving and retired), which is LP’s primary constituency, except through corrupt enrichment, can afford this fees?
This makes nonsense of the anti-corruption gospel of the Obidient Movement.
Sir, we are also aware that there has been accusations and counter accusations of corruption leveled against you by the almost 15 governorship aspirants in the forthcoming Imo State primaries, the leadership crisis in LP Imo State chapter is also allegedly attributed to your corrupt tendencies, this is not good for us (LP and Obidients) sir!
It is important to note that so much is expected from Obidient/ LP (whose claim to fame is the integrity the profess) and you cannot afford to fail Nigerians who have expressed their trust and confidence through the last election.
As the leader of the LP, you are indirectly the leader of the much expected people’s movement and you must live above board, corruption should not be part of the equation, Peter Obi’s integrity rating remains tge acceptable benchmark and you cannot go below it, the LP under you should be the moral benchmark for the other political parties, money has to be secondary in all cases.
You must ensure that integrity, capacity and competence remains your guiding light, you cannot allow the same money bag politicians who you preached against to hijack this process because of the irrestible lure of money and material acquisitions, no.
History will not record you kindly if this precious child is aborted through your profligacy and greed.
May be I should remind you of our operational code at the Obidient Movement, we have nothing and we lack nothing!
The movement has never made money an issue and money has never been an issue because we have enough volunteers whose only purpose and driving point is the attainment and enthronement of good governance in our country, to which they are ready to spend any amount (not political investors), we want through the labour Party, to build a Nigeria where the son of a nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody, we want a party where our elected reps (NASS, governor and State Assembly members), will become ambassadors of the new Nigeria that we preach, through the guiding light of the labour party.
Sir, am afraid, if feelers emanating from Imo State is anything to go by, I think you are already progressing in error and require immediate retracing of your steps to avoid the avoidable
Finally, it is important that you take a second look at the nomination and expression of interest fees, ensure that internal democracy is a MUST, uphold the zero tolerance to corruption (oga leave money and do the needful, money will chase you if you are prudent, Prof Nnennaya Oti’s example should inspire you), make Peter Obi’s integrity rating your benchmark, not just for you,but for all political aspirants and office holders under LP, but beginning with you, dont ever make Imo primaries a cash and carry affair the way its already looking.
Be guided sir, for without the above, we shall move against you to ensure your inadequacies and greed do not truncate the process of attaining a new Nigeria of our collective dreams, which is POssible
I remain, Yours truly
Obidient Frankwhite Nzeh
National Coordinator,
Rural Renaissance Development Initiative (RRDI)