Peter Obi, the presidential flagbearer of the Labour Party, LP, has said the party’s loss at the Osun governorship election was not a testament to their growing popularity across the country.
Peter Obi, the presidential flagbearer of the Labour Party, has said the party’s loss at the Osun governorship election was not a testament to their growing popularity across the country.
The former governor of Anambra state noted that given that its been just one month the Obidient movement started, they had to “contend with forces that have been entrenched in the for the last two decades”.
Obi stated this in a congratulatory message to the Governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke, issues on Monday.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Adeleke, the winner of the Osun guber poll.
See Also: Adeleke Emerges Winner of Osun Governorship Election
Adeleke polled a total of 403,371 votes to defeat the incumbent, Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress, who finished as runner-up with 375,027 votes.
The PDP won in 17 out of the 30 Local Government Areas, LGAs, in the State while the APC clinched the remaining 13. The Labour Party failed to win any LGA.
Reacting to the outcome of the election, Obi said, “I congratulate the Labour party candidate, Rt. Hon Lasun Sulaimon Yusuff and his running mate, Adeola Adekunle Atanda, for a hard-fought battle and their spirit of resolve and sportsmanship, despite the outcome.
“To the Obidient Movement Family and our supporters nationwide, the outcome of this particular election is not a verdict on our exponentially growing strength nationwide, especially when viewed against the fact that we are barely one month old in the party and we had to contend with forces that have been entrenched in the state for the last two decades.
“However, within this very short period of only a few weeks, the Labour Party has made its presence and political impact felt nationally.
“We must strengthen our collective resolve not to relent in our noble march to take back our country. Much work remains to be done, hence we must focus the totality of our efforts now on the forthcoming 2023 General elections.
“In the fullness of time, our message of rescue and recovery will resonate throughout the length and breadth of the Nation and most Nigerian electorate will buy in into our mission to take back Nigeria, for the purpose of rescuing it from continued decline, shift the National psyche from consumption to production and from sharing dwindling resources to creating wealth and frontally combating poverty. – PO”
Source: Punch