IBUKUNOLUWA KING-OKUNEYE
A political economist, Professor Pat Utomi, on Tuesday said the Labour Party has a better structure than the nation’s two dominant parties – the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Utomi, who is a member of the Labour party, made the comment as a guest on ChannelsTv’s Politics Today
He boasted that his party would emerge victorious in the 2023 presidential election, which is barely seven months away.
“Labour Party has a super structure, much better than the structures APC and the PDP have,” he said., adding that “the Labour Party is built around the labour movement and a college of civil society organisations.”
Utomi stressed that the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have political commissions in every state of the federation.
He said that the party would mobilise people during the forthcoming polls to ensure that every polling booth is covered.
However, he condemned a situation where those in public office would steal money to rig elections, a situation people have mistaken to be political structures.
Utomi said that the scenario where politicians bribe their way during elections have changed and people want a different narrative.
“With the structure that we have, I am guaranteeing that on the election day, in every polling station in this country, there are at least 15 people who are standing up for the third force to support the Labour party candidate,” he said.
When asked on the possibility of merging with other parties, Utomi said that talks are ongoing with several political parties, although he did not disclose any specific one.
The Labour party chieftain said he is confident of his party’s victory, berating the performance of both APC and PDP that have ruled Nigeria, stressing that the two political parties have made Africa’s most populous nation bankrupt through excessive borrowings.
Utomi insisted that Nigerians demand new confidence from fresh leadership.
While the Labour party has fielded ex-Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi as its presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged as PDP’s flagbearer with ex-Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu flying the ruling APC’s flag in the 2023 presidential election.