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The National Secretary of the Labour Party, Umar Farouk has dismissed the report about a possible merger between the party's Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Farouk said the party has no plan to merge with any other political platform.
The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, his LP counterpart, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party are reported to have opened discussions to set up a formidable platform that would unseat the ruling party.
But in an interview with ThePunch, Farouk dismissed the report, saying there’s no iota of truth in it.
The LP national secretary said Obi has the right to associate with whoever he wants, but the Labour Party would never merge with any other political platform.
“That is not true. I think it is the imagination of the writer. It has not come to us as a party. Whatever is going on, if at all it is true, Peter Obi is probably doing that as a candidate, which he has a right to do and associate with whoever he wants to associate with.
“But as a party, we are not thinking of a merger with any political party. And Labour Party will never merge with any party,” Farouk said.
Corroborating Farouk’s position, Obi’s media aide, Tai Obasi in an interview with ThePunch said his principal has not discussed anything like that with him.
“I don’t know of anything like that. Just like every other person, we are still waiting for the judgment of the tribunal. What’s the need for a merger without first getting the judgment? Are they merging as opposition teams or what?
“I really don’t think so. I have also heard my principal mention anything like that. My principal is someone who is very open and can interact on issues. Of course, we have respect for Atiku and also have the same for Kwankwaso.”
Obasi dismissed the report about a merger between his principal and other politicians saying, there is nothing like on the table.