In a release signed by Fatai Ibu-Owo, NCP Chairman, Lagos; and Kemi Olagunju (Mrs), Acting Secretary, Lagos distanced the Lagos State Chapter of the party from the action of the estranged national chairman of the party, Yinusa Tanko.
Tanko and his group recently endorsed the Labour Party candidate, Peter
Obi, as the candidate of the NCP.
The release read “We have been alerted by the so-called press conference held by Yinusa Tanko, the estranged Chair of our party, the National Conscience Party (NCP) and a handful of notorious elements noted for corrupt and unprincipled stances on all issues, (rented crowd), endorsing the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi and dragging the name of our party along.
“We want to state that Yinusa Tanko (who has actually gone awol from NCP affairs since 2018 and whose tenure has expired since 2020) has only displayed what is expected of a desperate prodigal whose only stock in trade is to trade with politics at the expense of principles,” the press statement read.
The group said that the NCP is one of the oldest parties in Nigeria and it is on record that the party led the struggle for opening of the democratic space in 2001-2002. It was founded and led by the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, adding that NCP was founded on a socialist ideology.
They said Gani Fawehinmi all through his life fought anti-people demagogues like General Olusegun Obasanjo, but today Obi and Datti are loyal kids and mentees of OBJ.
“Meanwhile, we want to state that Tanko Yinusa never convened any meeting of the party at the NCC or NEC levels. The jobman has since abandoned the party after his moving into CUPP jeopardized our membership and allowed INEC to have the effrontery to deregister NCP. Those wasting their millions on Tanko's endorsement are only deceiving themselves.”
The group in the release made their stand known, saying “We the real and active Vanguards of NCP wants to note as follows, the purported meeting he called was supposed to be called by the national general secretary. He didn't carry the General Secretary along because of his personal ambition. As a member of NCC Lagos is not invited to the purported meeting likewise Ogun, Osun, and Ekiti.
“Over 95 per cent of the people who attended are not NCP members; the issue of endorsement was not on the agenda of the meetings, he never involved any member especially those in Lagos state chapter; He adopted Obi just the way he did in the Atiku alliance in 2019. He collected money from Obi. He paid the transportation and hotel accommodations of some unknown guys masquerading as NCP members; We don't want him as our national chairman again. He has violated the Constitution of the party. He is now the spokesperson for Obi while still the Chairman of NCP. This is in contravention of Article 3, Subsection 3.5 of the NCP Constitution which is expressly clear on Anti-Party Activities”
The release went further to say “Lagos Branch of NCP has since rejected Yunusa Tanko as the Chairman as his terms of office has lapsed since 2020; therefore, the endorsement is not for the party but for Tanko alone. He should go and refund Obi's money. NCP is not endorsing Peter Obi. We will never endorse an enemy of the people. Gani Fawehinmi's party will never endorse Obasanjo's candidate, and all decisions taken at the purported meeting are null and void.
The group said “We urge all Nigerians to know that the National
Conscience Party (NCP) wants a new Nigeria that is built on socialism, and it's
centered on an economy that cares for all, and not the few billionaires. We are
vanguards of the unity of all oppressed people, and we are happy today that we
are strongly on ground to prevent any rogue from throwing the name of Gani
Fawehinmi and our dear party into doldrums. Those who have hijacked the Labour
Party (LP) from workers and think they can use the name to curry favour from
Progressives should go back to their sleep and dream again.”
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