Mr. Oyinki
The Labour Party faces quite a number of adverse situations both internally and externally. While the external factors give us great concern, the internal issues require to be addressed urgently. Taking into cognizance the experiences from the poor handling of the ongoing Labour Party State campaign rallies and the bitter lessons learnt from it, which are both disappointing and discouraging to say the least.
Undoubtedly, there is an eminent disruption threatening to derail the Obi/Datti presidential campaign train as a result of the inability of the party hierarchy to effectively manage the discrepancies brewing between the Party, PCC and the Support Groups. These three powerful forces are apparently pulling in different directions, hence weakening the very foundation of the presidential ambition of the Obi/Datti candidacy in the general election in February.
The cause of the conflict is obvious and primarily, is the Labour Party and its State Chairmen wanting to remain the dominant factor in the political equation, whereas they do not have the necessary membership strength on ground to deliver the party in the election. The support groups on the other hand have the required numbers but lacks the wherewithal to execute the campaigns. On the part of the PCC, their role of liaising with the support groups and LP to overseeing the presidential campaign efforts is also weakened by the overbearing insensitiveness of the party at both State and national levels.
Understandably, Labour Party is the principal in this tripodal relationship and duly deserve welding controlling powers. Nonetheless, the support groups being their backbone, also deserve more attention from the party and the PCC if the interest of all concerned is to win the coming elections.
At various times, the Movement for Change Worldwide (MFCW) engagement with a number of the leadership of the Labour Party, PCC and Support groups, have revealed that the party is unnecessarily flexing muscles with the ‘Obidient Movement’ and as such sees the support groups as volunteers who are not expected to share the booty with them. This hard stand of the party will deprive them of the much-needed large number of people the support groups have in their advantage.
We have known the cause of the frictions, so, what are the remediations? It must dawn on the party that the support groups are parts and parcel of the party, since many are card carrying members, some are party agents and even party executives in several State Chapters, as such they should be better treated. The support groups should be funded separately through the conveners of the support groups by the LP National and such funds should not go through the State Party Chairmen to avert delays in handing it over and likely mismanagement of the disbursement of campaign materials during rallies. The LP national can also consider the option of working with the two known support groups coalitions, which is CNN and CPO, instead of the current way of dealing with hundreds of smaller independent support groups.
The ‘Obidient Movement’, PCC and Labour Party cannot afford to allow minor internal differences to erode the massive achievements attained during the pre-campaign rallies.
