Chieftains of the Labour Party (LP) in Kaduna State including candidates and aspirants in the 2023 general elections, as well acting state executive council members, met in Kaduna at the weekend, asking the party leaders at the state and national levels to give account of the 2023 campaign fund.

The party stakeholders led at the meeting by the State’s Acting Chairman, Alhaji Isa Ciroma, Acting Secretary, Sani Musa Sahabi and the Senatorial Candidates for Kaduna South and North, Engineer Mike Auta and Alhaji Sidi Bamali, respectively, said their refusal to render account is not a sign of good leadership.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Bamali, flanked by other chieftains, commended the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi for rendering account of campaign funds that came through him and asked other party leaders at the states and national levels to follow suit.

The chieftains on the other hand berated Obi for his failure to hold post-election meetings with the party stakeholders, particularly frowning at Obi’s several visits to Kaduna State, without meeting with the party members and chieftains.

According to Bamali: “We thought it wise to hold this press briefing because there is a whole lot to be said; its essence is not only to propagate the party’s agenda, but to also bring to the fore some, if not all, of our grievances towards the leadership of the party both at the State and national level and proffer probable solutions to these challenges.

“The aftermath of the 2023 general elections has given us reasons to ponder on some of the challenges encountered, lessons learnt and the probability of thinking ahead, in order to redefine our path to victory. Today we are here to take a critical assessment of these problems and fashion out ways in which solutions would be preferred.

“Prior to the 2023 general elections, the LP was a stationary, rickety, disjointed vehicle that was lacking several essential parts. Its functionality and existence were questioned in the nation’s political arena, however, a few months to the election proper, some political juggernauts, well meaning individuals, and the common man, who were tired and frustrated by the misconceived idea of democracy injected life into the one immobile vehicle until it became a force to reckon with.

“The heavy wind of a change mantra blew across all zones, especially in Kaduna and people joined in the struggle to propagate a change in leadership. This movement may not have produced the desired results and our expectations were dashed, but we fought a good fight.

“It is on record that both local and international observers had their misgivings about the election proper; this aside our stolen mandate in some of the senatorial districts, although, the 2023 general elections in Kaduna State particularly, placed the presidential candidate at second position in the state with huge number of votes, that alone was a good sign that we all worked to achieve that outcome,” he said.

He noted “there seems to be a total absence of leadership in the state’s LP, despite being lucky to have had the Vice Presidential candidate (Datti Baba Ahmed), the Organizing Secretary and other top figures at the national level down to the state. These political powerhouses, who are from Kaduna State seemed to have joined this movement only to propel their career and have blown cold since election results were announced on all levels.

“They have refused to consider the epileptic state of the party’s existence, especially the common man on the street, who lost his voice and sense of decorum, singing and chanting the songs of the Labour Party, by extension, those of us present here today, who in our various constituencies worked tirelessly to ensure that our names were written in sands of time as regards Kaduna State and Nigerian politics.

“A stark example is our dear presidential candidate during the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, who on several occasions, came into Kaduna but never thought it worthy or necessary to invite the leadership of the party and its esteemed supporters in the State for a round table (to sit and review our past activities), especially those in the North West Zone.

“He has chosen to pursue his personal ambition rather than putting the people first, by reconciling our differences and healing our wounds. We expected him to have called for zonal meetings; each zone, identify the gaps and cement the cracks that almost collapsed our efforts.

“We urge Peter Obi not to shy away from the fact that, he is the leader of the party and by extension, the party’s presidential flag bearer, whose responsibility is to put the house in order. In spite of this, we appreciate his efforts and salute his courage.

“For those who followed the LP, the fact that funds for campaign were misappropriated by a few individuals, who to date have not thought it right to render public accounts of how these funds were either disbursed or spent, is no longer news. However, the question that begs for an answer is, “is that a sign of true leadership that defines transparency and accountability?” (The Nation)

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