Significants Of Labour Party To The Igbo Race – OBIDOGO Student Writes

A student under the umbrella of Obidogo Students has elucidated the importance of Labour party to the Igbo race.

Chief Frank Chinasa aka DOGO is Labour party's House of representatives candidate for Bende federal constituency. 

Dogo who knows that education is key to opportunities encourages students at different levels to showcase their intelligence. In one of the essay competitions, Obinna, a master's student took us through how important Labour Party is to the Igbo nation. 

He wrote:

 Politics as opined by Arnold Lasswell has always been, who has "WHAT", "WHEN" and "HOW" and going by this definition, depicts  the desperate nature of the Nigeria political system marked with so much zeal determination to control the helms of affairs by politicians.Many are of the opinion that the system has been bedevilled by bad politicians and thus likened Nigeria political system as tower of babel, probably laying credence to individual's interests riding over collective interest.

There is no gainsaying of the fact that over time precisely the fourth republic, The igbo has been relegated to the background of Nigeria corridors of politics. Antecedence from 1999 till date has withnessed presidents representing the west(Chief Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo, 1999-2007), the North(Late Umaru Musa Yaradua, 2007-2010), The south which happens to be a minority group was also represented (Good luck Ebele Jonathan,2010-2015) And again, the north( Mohammadu Buhari,2015-2023).

This loop sidedness is not a fair assessment rather to bring to our notice the hatred exhibited by the other regions against the igbo extraction.

Emphasis should also be laid on the political relevance of the labour party in Nigeria. Butressing on the fact, the party was the defunct party for social democracy(PSD) created in the year 2002 to serve as an harbinger for social democracy with the slogan Forward ever.

The party first gained it's relevance in 2003 after undergoing political renaissance from party for social democracy to the Labour party after the 2003 general election which ushered in the then governor of Ondo state His Excellency Olusegun Mimiko who ran successfully as governor of Ondo state under the banner of the labour party from 2009-2017,only to return to the PDP in 2021.

The slogan of the labour party(social democracy) is said to be the bane why it's presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi wish to vie for the position of the president, to promote and defend social democratic principles and ideals for the purpose of achieving social justice progress and Unity. IS THE LABOUR PARTY, TRULY THE MESSIAH?  Much has always been said on unity, yet much has been done to ensure that unity doesn't follow. On this premise, the altitudes of Nigerian leaders should be questioned. HAVE THE LIVED UP TO EXPECTATIONS?, WHY THE POLITICAL REVOLUTION?, WHY THE HOUSE HOLD NAME, LABOUR PARTY?.

On 27 May 2022, the party's membership and support increased drastically as the former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, joined the party shortly after he quit the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in a bid to run for the 2023 Nigerian presidential election. With so many reasons alluded to that very step.

a, Negative nature bedeviling the Nigerian political system (insecurity, tribalism, corruption, Unemployment etc).

b, The citizen's quest for a paradigm hence, the two contending powers since democratic rule has failed woefully.

c, The depressed economy of the country,

With many more reasons.

The igbo race is about to gain prominence and relevance in the Nigerian political scene, the emergence of Peter Obi has norrowed the gap of hatred and subsequently tribal relevance of the race by all and sundry, Even the media houses can attest to this very paradigm.

Peter Obi and the party in general has instigated a sense of political consciousness on the igbo who has been sidelined for more than 50 years after the civil war.

A sort of history taking a new dimension on the igbo race, neutralizing tribal disparity and upholding the spirit of unity in diversity.

Erasing any form of tribal inferiority and impacting superiority.

A wide range surport of Mr Peter Obi from all quarters of the country depicts acceptance and hope for a new political era.

His political deeds as governor of Anambra state speaks volume not only to the state(Anambra) or the igbo but Nigeria at large. And this is comeuppance taking a positive shape.

By:

Okahia Obinna Hypolite,B.A(Absu, Second class upper division, History and international relations), M.A, In view.