The Labour Party has criticized two of its newly-elected lawmakers, Amobi Ogah and Obi Aguocha, for publicly expressing their support for President Bola Tinubu’s leadership and the zoning formula of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 10th National Assembly Leadership.
During separate events, the lawmakers stated that they and some of their colleagues had agreed to align with the government and party decisions regarding the leadership zoning in the National Assembly.
Following a meeting with Tinubu, Ogah, who represents the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia State under the Labour Party, praised the President and expressed his admiration for him. The Labour Party has distanced itself from the lawmakers’ remarks and has called for them to apologize to the party’s leadership.
Ogah said, “Today is my best day. I’m so happy that I’m an elected member and seeing my President talking. In fact, I’ve never known that this man is so intelligent, “I never knew that this man is so prepared to serve this country. I saw the love, character, and charisma — the belief that Nigeria can be a better nation.”
The party responded to the interviews by issuing a statement signed by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, on Friday.
In the statement, the party expressed its disapproval of the lawmakers’ comments and made it clear that it was distancing itself from both individuals.
The party called on the lawmakers to reconsider their positions and offer sincere apologies to the party leadership for their remarks.
The statement reads: “Though as newly elected lawmakers on the platform of the Labour Party, the Members-elect made the utterances which are clearly within their rights as individuals as enshrined in the laws of the land however, the party has a view quite different from what the honourable members were quoted to have said,” the statement read.
“As individuals, the lawmakers do not have the mandate to speak for the party and therefore cannot claim to be standing on the platform of the Labour Party to speak, giving views that are diametrically opposed to ideals for which Labour Party stands for.”
