The Labour Wave: Utomi Explains How It Catapulted Peter Obi InTo The Spotlight

A prominent Labour Party chieftain, Professor Pat Utomi, has called on party stakeholders to focus on building a leadership structure that truly reflects the party’s core values and ideals.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Utomi made the statement in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Labour Party’s leadership crisis. The apex court had overturned the earlier Appeal Court decision that recognized Julius Abure as national chairman, dismissing his cross-appeal for lack of merit and siding with Nenadi Usman’s challenge.

Reacting on Saturday, Utomi reminded stakeholders of the foundation laid by himself, former NLC President Ayuba Waba, and Wale Okuniyi, which he said was responsible for the momentum that propelled Peter Obi and the Obidient movement during the 2023 elections.

He stressed the need for the party to remain committed to its social democratic ideology, stating:

“As Labour Party leadership seeks reconciliation and restructuring, it is important to remember the motivations that brought Ayuba Waba, Wale Okuniyi, and myself together. Our goal was to spark a political movement that rejected traditional machine politics focused solely on power capture.

We learned from 2015 that merely winning power is futile without a framework of shared values and accountability.

As Ayuba Waba articulated during my birthday celebration in February 2022, our aim was to reshape Nigeria’s electoral democracy by building a party that charts a clear path toward national development.

That party must attract individuals of character, competence, compassion, and commitment—leaders who embrace entrepreneurial social democracy, prioritize the people, and drive economic growth through job creation and social cohesion.

In the numerous strategy meetings we held at the NLC headquarters, I often spoke of my admiration for the Scandinavian free enterprise model—where education and healthcare are universal, socialized, and designed to boost productivity.

Finding individuals who align with these values is essential for the impact we seek to achieve.”