The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has urged Nigerians never to despair in the face of tribulations and provocations because Easter is about hope and promise for all who believe.
Obi, in his Easter message on Saturday stated that “if Jesus our messiah died for us and rose from death to fight for us why should we be hopeless at anything?”
This is just as he noted that Muslims are in the middle of their 30 days of special prayers and fasting that will culminate in Eid El Fitr, adding that he is “praying with them during this solemn period for a great and peaceful Nigeria ahead.
“To our Muslim brothers and sisters who are well into the Ramadan fasting period, which will culminate in the Eid El Fitr, my special greetings and prayers are with you as we look forward to a joyous celebration. Given that we are all united as brothers and sisters, and in our trust in the mercies and infinite benevolence of God Almighty, I urge all Nigerians particularly the youths not to despair in the face of many challenges and tribulations we are facing as a country.
“We continue to thank God for all His blessings on Nigeria and pray for a better and New Nigeria where equity, fairness, peace, unity, accountable leadership, and prosperity shall reign.
According to him, “Every religion believes that God our creator is of justice, so why should we as his children not expect it from him?
“The main significance of Easter that the Christendom celebrate this time is that it marks the Resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his death by crucifixion.
The three most significant events in it are the trial of Jesus, the death of Jesus, and finally the resurrection.
“What is the strength here for us, it gives all who believe in Christ the courage and hope that the Lord they serve, worship, and adore is alive and not dead. And that Good Friday must come before Easter Sunday. Meaning that the road to Alleluia is not smooth but it must come.”
Obi said that “Easter is therefore, a celebration and festival of hope knowing that our messiah is alive and not dead. Easter gives us hope of eternal life which is what every believer is working for.
“If therefore, we know that Easter gives us hope that our savior is alive after dying for our sake, why should we despair.?
“So, fellow Nigerians, dear obidients, of all faith and class, never despair as I pray that the blessings of the resurrection will remain with us in the face of any tribulations because our redeemer is living and active”
Obi therefore, wished all Christians a happy celebration and pray that the message and blessings of Easter will remain with us.”
This is just as the Labour Party has declared that its Vice Presidential Candidate has no basis to engage with Wole Soyinka, over the issues around the 2023 general election.
The party believes that Soyinka not being one of the contestants in the last general election, it will therefore not be proper to engage with him on issues relating to the election, but appealed to him to prevail of his preferred candidate to participate in an open debate.
The party noted that many Nigerians are bewildered by the late hour intervention of the respected Soyinka, in issues around the flawed 2023 elections.
“Where was he all this while? One of those who should ordinarily and rightfully be honoured as the conscience of the nation, Prof. Soyinka is now criminalising dissent and infact, weighing in on the side of fraud and injustice!
“We state therefore, that the vice-presidential candidate of Labour Party, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed cannot take up Prof. Soyinka’s offer of a public debate, not out of cowardice, but for cultural and political reasons.
“Culturally, it’s just not decent, their age and accomplishment gaps taken into account, for Datti to sit opposite the 88 year-old global icon and point out his folly to his face, even if the old man called for it. And politically there is no basis for such a challenge in that Prof. is not on any of the opposite ballots.
“If however, he can use his influence to drag his preferred candidates, who resisted debates throughout the campaign, to the studio this second, Datti says he is more than willing to take them on.”
In a related development, the 36 state chairmen of party who are members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) on Saturday resolved the leadership crisis and restated their confidence in the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure.
In a Communique signed Rotimi Kehinde, Chairman of the Chairmen Forum, On behalf of the 36 state chairmen of the Party, berated the action of sone members of National Working Committee (NWC ), led by Apapa Lamidi for attempting to declared themselves the new leadership of our party.
They declared that Julius Abure remains the National chairman of LP, even as they also repudiated the action of Apapa Lamidi and gang.
Those who grossly violated the provision of our party’s constitution and take internal matters of the party to the court without exhausting all the appropriate instituted channels to resolving disputes and went ahead to court are by the dint of this communique directed to immediately effect withdrawal of the matter from court and return to the part of rectitude for due process.
“36 chairmen condemn the act of political brigandage perpetrated by this small fraction of the NWC led by Comrade Apapa and his gang. It is viewed that Apapa and others who were involved do not seem to appear as appropriate members of LP as no one member with the required sanity will destroy his own home.
The Communique noted that those who were suspended by the party led by Comrade Julius Abure remain suspended until NEC decides otherwise.
“36 chairmen recommend that NEC should be called without further delay.
“36 Chairmen uphold that the NWC meeting called by Apapa Lamidi was a nullity and it failed ab-nitio. Therefore, any decision reached therefrom is of no legal effect.”
