LP, Obi not part of ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest, party says

The Labour Party (LP) has dissociated itself and its leader, Peter Obi, from the proposed ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest.

The party’s national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, in a statement on Saturday said a tweet by a presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga, linking LP, Obi and other notable figures in LP to the planned protest was false.

The statement said, “The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to a tweet purportedly from one of the presidential aides, Mr. Bayo Onanuga linking the Labour Party, its national leader Peter Obi, and very many notable figures in our party to the proposed ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest.

“We say that there is no truth in that and the tweet is just the author’s figment of his imagination.”

Ifoh said LP is known for being a very peaceful party and it has at several occasions asked its followers to follow peace at all times.

He noted that it is therefore “delusional” for anyone to link LP supporters to the planned protest.

He added, “However, peaceful protests all over the world are initiated and executed by the people and not by the opposition. No opposition has any control over protests. Popular protests such as in Kenya, Egypt and several other places were a direct registration of the people’s frustration against the government. The people have the right to protest and it is within their constitutional right.

“It is therefore puerile for the government or anyone for that matter to begin to look for who to blame for the bad governance that is being witnessed in Nigeria today. Nigeria can still get it right if the right policies are initiated. We also advise that some aides of the presidency must be cautioned to avoid incendiary pronouncements capable of combusting the nation, all in the name of playing politics