The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, on Tuesday commended Nigerian security forces for their recent achievements in the fight against terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping, saying that they demonstrated their commitment to safeguarding the country.

The commendation came on the heels of the arrests of two of the most wanted terror suspects in the country and multiple foiling of several security threats by agencies.

The arrests of the suspects, Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Baraa), and Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda), both leaders of the Ansaru terror group, was considered a major boost for the counter-terrorism campaign of the Federal Government.

The two were linked with orchestrating multiple terrorist attacks, including the 2022 Kuje prison break that freed dozens of Boko Haram members, the 2013 attack on a Niger uranium facility, and high-profile kidnappings such as that of the Emir of Wawa and a French engineer in Katsina.

Taking to his X handle on Tuesday, Obi said the arrests and other achievements recorded by the security forces were “indeed a remarkable feat and a step in the right direction in our collective struggle against insecurity and in restoring peace to our dear country.”

He noted, “Our gallant officers and men in uniform have shown courage, often under very difficult conditions. Their sacrifices remind us that Nigeria can—and must—be safe for all its citizens. I salute their professionalism and urge that they be better equipped, trained, and motivated to sustain these gains.”

However, the former governor of Anambra State called for the prosecution of arrested suspects, warning against a situation whereby they would be recycled back into the society to continue to be a theat to the safety of law-abiding citizens.

“Terrorism and violent criminality thrive when justice is not served, when those arrested are recycled back into society without accountability. Justice must take its full course so that impunity is not encouraged.

“Let this victory remind us that security is the foundation of every meaningful development. A secure Nigeria is possible, and together we must support our security agencies with the right leadership, resources, and political will to end the reign of terror in our land,” he added.

Obi’s comments came as the Interim Chairman of the LP, Senator Nenadi Usman, admitted that the party was to blame for the wave of defections that hit it after the 2023 polls.

According to her, the defections took place because the LP failed to thoroughly investigate the background of persons who moved into its ranks ahead of the polls.

Usman, while speaking during a virtual meeting hosted by the Coalition for the Defence of Democracy (COPDEM), noted that opportunists took advantage of the sudden popularity of the party to climb to victory only to abandon it, adding that “in many cases, candidates were fielded without thorough background checks.”

She gave the assurance that new reforms being carried out by the party would ensure that only genuine persons sharing its ideology would be admitted to fly its flag, going forward.

“Our platform will not be a mere stepping stone for opportunists, but a home for patriots committed to service and transformation,” Usman stated.

Meanwhile, the party also accused the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) of conspiring with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to deny its candidates participation in last Saturday’s by-elections.

The Interim National Secretary, Prince Toni Akeni, in a statement on Tuesday, claimed that the “exclusion is an orchestrated plot by the rejected All Progressives Congress (APC) because they know that Labour Party on ballot will trounce their lowly rated candidates.”

Akani went further, “Our party believes that the leadership crisis orchestrated by Julius Abure is not enough to exclude Labour Party from the by-elections since the Supreme Court, which is the highest court in the country, unequivocally recognised Senator Esther Nenadi Usman-led Interim National Working Committee as the authentic leadership of the Labour Party.

“Julius Abure and his co-travellers have proved once more by these by-elections that as usual, they were on yet another unabashed mission to destroy our party’s strong electoral potential on behalf of their well-known paymasters.

“We consider a violation of the Nigerian Constitution and flagrant disobedience to the judgment of the highest court of the land for INEC to exclude a registered political party from participating in an election.

“INEC cannot deny that it is not in possession of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgement, which affirmed Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha as leaders of the Labour Party.”

He said the party apologied to all the candidates who had prepared to contest the by-elections of August 16 but were denied the opportunity at the last hour.

He added, “We feel your pains knowing that you prepared at much cost, suffered the rigours of campaigns, assets mobilization, logistics losses and psychological trauma as you were, and at the last minute, denied your constitutional rights and opportunities to contest the elections by the tripartite conspiracy of Abure’s expired council and INEC’s delayed interpretation and execution of the Supreme Court judgement of April 4, following the scripts of their common masters.

“We call on you to remain steadfast to the call, cause, and concourse of the Labour Party’s unmatched masses-driven ideology for good governance. Remain steadfast and ready to fight another day.

“Through your clear-headed manifestos, which are undoubtedly a reflection of Peter Obi’s ideology for good governance delivery and a Nigeria that works for all, Nigeria shall be free one day, and that day is not far away.

“To prepare for that day our council is doing everything necessary to have INEC fully, unequivocally, and expeditiously recognize the brand new leadership of the Labour Party, ready and ship-shape for all elections here forward. This is so that the ballot apartheid and franchise robbery that excluded LP candidates from the August 16th by-elections of our country will never recur in any manner. Never again.

“Working together with His Excellency Peter Obi, Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, His Excellency Governor Alex Otti, all serving Senators, House of Representatives, and other elected members of our great party, we are poised to reposition the Labour Party for the 2027 elections ahead.“ (Nigerian Tribune)