The Labour Party (LP) on Wednesday announced its 1,234-member Presidential Campaign Organisation (LPPCO) for the 2023 elections, including political activist Ndi Kato and former Nollywood actor Kenneth Okonkwo among the official spokespersons for the Peter Obi and Yusuf Datti presidential campaign.
The campaign structure was unveiled at an event in Abuja, with the party stating its objective of securing 15 million votes in next year’s presidential election.
Dr Doyin Okupe, Director-General of the Obi-Datti campaign council, named retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Zarewa as chairman and Clement Ojukwu as secretary.
Presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed were also listed as members of the council.
The campaign’s official spokespersons include Tanko Yunusa (Head), Nana Kazaure, Kenneth Okonkwo, Dele Fatorimi, Ime Ufot, and Ndi Kato. Other key appointments include a seven-member management team led by Okupe as Director-General, Oseloka Obaze as Deputy Director-General/Campaign Manager, Alhaji Yusuf Bello Maitama as Deputy Director-General North, Denzel Kentebe as Deputy Director-General South, and Eyitemi Taire as Deputy Campaign Manager 3.
Six zonal directors were appointed to oversee the party’s activities in Nigeria’s geopolitical zones: Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene (South-East), Prince Favour Rueben (South-South), Balogun Akin Osuntokun (South-West), Joseph Ndirang (North Central), Alhassan Fawu (North-East), and Audi A. Mohammed (North-West). Additionally, 36 state coordinators, a Diaspora Group Head (Nina Atalor), and Media Team Head (Emeka Nwaocha) were named.
LP Secretary Umar Farouk stated that the campaign team includes representatives from all six geopolitical zones and People Living With Disabilities.
Ndi Kato, a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Kaduna State House of Assembly in 2018, is recognized for her advocacy on women’s inclusion and human rights.
“I wish to state that I do not belong to any political party at the moment and would love to focus on promoting political conversations, pushing for women’s inclusion and fighting for human rights,” Kato had announced.
“I’m taking a much-needed break from partisan politics,” she added.
Kato, a 28-year-old female politician, declared her intention to contest for a seat in the Kaduna State House of Assembly in 2018 but couldn’t obtain the party’s ticket.
Known for her active fight for women’s inclusion in politics in the Northern region of Nigeria, Kato said she would prefer to stay away from politics and commit to any political party.
Kenneth Okonkwo, a seasoned actor from Nigeria, has resigned from the All Progressive Congress (APC) due to the party’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for 2023.
The actor announced this on his personal Instagram account. He claimed that if the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket were permitted to run, it would irreversibly destroy the political prospects of Christians in northern Nigeria.
He added that he resigned his membership in the interest of equity, justice, fairness and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.
Okonkwo, a convener of the Campaign for Equity and Justice in Nigeria, said he joined APC because of its constitutional vow to eliminate all forms of discrimination and social injustice in Nigeria.
He said, “These ideals are now alien to the APC, with their unfortunate decision to paint our Muslim brothers in lousy light by insinuating that the Muslims in Nigeria will not accept or vote for a Northern Christian as Vice-President to pair with a Southern Muslim. If Muslims could vote voluntarily for Southern Christian Presidents, it is a fallacy to insinuate that they cannot accept Northern Christian Vice-President.
“This will permanently destroy the political viability of Northern Christians in Nigeria if allowed to stand. This is in addition to their failure to protect the lives and property of Nigerians, which should be their primary responsibility. The economy is also in tatters,” he wrote.
