Speech Delivered By The National Chairman Of Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure On This Auspicious Occasion Of The Inauguration Of The Directorate Of Mobilization And Integration.

You will recall that in my speech titled ‘Triumphant Resumption’ of Barrister Julius Abure led National Working Committee in my second term in office, we made it clear that we are going to create the Directorate of OBIDIENT Affairs. The whole idea of having a directorate dedicated to the OBIDIENT family was borne out of complaints received for the past few months to wit: the membership registration process was cumbersome: there was a communication gap between the party Obidient family. These gaps have given room for misinformation about the party and its leadership. The lack of information dissemination has given room for the ruling oligarchy in Nigeria to infiltrate the movement and therefore use it negatively against the party. Consequent upon the following, therefore, and the need to find solutions to these challenges and complaints, hence it was decided to have a Directorate manned by Labour Party Obidients.

The following were the terms of reference:

1. To Coordinate the registration of all members of the OBIDIENT family and integrate them fully into the structure of the party.
2. Ease Diaspora participation in the affairs of the party.
3. Receive complaints and deal with same and where they are unable to deal, refer such complaints to the leadership of the party.
4. Coordinate collection of dues and donations to the party and ensure that all OBIDIENTS are financial members of the party.
5. Work closely with the National Youth Leader, National Women Leader, and National Organizing Secretary in order to create programs that will fully and effectively assimilate willing members of the OBIDIENT family to the party.

The party however is not unmindful of the presence of a large spectrum of followership in which a lot or some members may not even be willing to interface or join the party. We are also not unmindful of the very nature of the OBIDIENT movement but we concluded that this communication gap, no doubt will need to be addressed.

However, in view of the controversies and misconceptions which followed the publication of the names and setting up of the Directorate of the OBIDIENT affairs, we have decided to rename it as the Directorate of Mobilization and Integration.

However, with the renaming of the Directorate, there is no gainsaying that the scope of this directorate has been expanded to include other areas. But before going ahead with the inauguration, it is important to make the following appeals.

1. Members of the party must learn from their history and trajectory in order to avoid the mistakes of the past experiences gathered by virtue of the 2023 general election which should help us plan better for 2027. It is my view that if the party structure was stronger in 2023 during the general election, it would have probably be able to defend a lot of our stolen votes which would have made Peter Obi the president of Nigeria. We have seen instances where weak and unpopular candidates have been delivered or put more succinctly win elections by strong party structure. On the other hand, there are instances in which extremely popular and visible candidates have lost elections due to a weak party structure.

It is on this basis that we intend to strengthen the structure of the party, make it formidable, rebuild the party and begin to identify strong, passionate and dedicated party members that we can use in future as Agents and Defenders of the party, who will be able to stand the time to advocate and stand for the party in future elections. It is my view and opinion that the time to begin is now. I think that the fire brigade approach adopted by the party in the 2023 general election can obviously be avoided. I believe strongly that if we start planning from now for the 2027 general election, it will be better for the party and for all those who truly and really want a New Nigeria.

I must say for certain that a New Nigeria will not be possible without a strong and virile political party whose structure is strong enough to withstand, fight, and defend our votes and what the New Nigeria stands for. It is therefore imperative that we must continue to rebuild our party, restructure it and make it stronger so that we can indeed achieve a Nigeria of our dreams.

A New Nigeria will not be possible as it stands today without a strong and virile political party. And it is my view that Labour Party, given our experiences in the 2023 general election, is positioned to play that role very effectively. I must state here clearly, that all those persons who are in Labour Party but are not courageous enough to bring their friends, relations and followers to be members of the Labour Party but yet want to use the platform of the party to win election, need to have a rethink. At this point, I must quote President Barrack Obama: “the problem with Africa is that we build powerful individuals rather than build powerful institutions”. This should be a food for thought.

2. I seize this occasion to appeal to those who directly or indirectly have been encouraging propaganda against the leadership of the party or the party itself and yet want to use the party platform for future elections. This is paradoxical, It is better for us to be together, united, have one mind and one spirit so that we can all jointly work together for future elections, particularly, in 2027.

We may think that 2027 is far away, it is already here and if we don’t start planning and working towards the 2027 general election, it will also meet us here and we will again be caught unawares. This is the time to put our differences aside. Whatever may be our political ambition and reasons for sponsoring propaganda and maligning the image of the party and its leaders must be put aside and let us work together for the common good of the country.

We must be able to put Nigeria and the suffering masses first, and then see the need for us to be able to work together in the interest of the party and Nigerians. A New Nigeria will not be achieved by Labour Party and those who want to use it to achieve a new Nigeria under the present circumstances. We need to have a rethink and have a united house.

Having said all this, I will now proceed to inaugurate the Directorate.

Thank you and God bless.