former Deputy National Chairman of the Labour Party, Calistus Okafor, has said the candidacy of Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, is still dogged by controversy.
He made this known in an interview with journalists in Abuja while addressing issues surrounding the legal action he instituted against the party.
He disclosed that he has spent N48 million in his case challenging the legality of the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the party in Court.
He also expressed the readiness of his faction’s NWC to open discussions with Obi.
Obi had emerged as the candidate of the Julius Abure-led faction of the LP.
Okafor who stated this said having sold his house in Gwarinpa, he was ready to sell another house in Wuse 2 to continue fighting.
He said, “I have read in the news media where Dr. Doyin Okupe was quoted to have said that I was demanding for N48m for the lawyers who have been representing me in court before I would withdraw my case against the Labour Party.
“I am however happy that he did not say that I have collected the said amount from anybody or group of people. I have also read the mischievous claim of a group that I had collected N15m draft to withdraw the case I instituted against the Labour Party. This is also not correct.
“I am fighting for my right, I’m fighting for justice. Peter Obi left the Peoples Democratic Party because of the injustice carried out against him there. If Peter Obi could dump the PDP for LP in order to get justice, he should consider the case of someone who is looking for justice.
“I have not been bought over by anyone. I want to let Nigerians especially the Igbo people know that I did not go to court because of Peter Obi. I instituted my case in court on December 21 2021 and 0bi joined the Labour Party on May 29.
“I was in court in January, February, March and April. It was after Obi joined in May that people started saying that I had been bought.
“Obi is fighting to become President while I am fighting to become the chairman of the LP based on the provisions of the constitution which empower me to act as chairman if the chairman is removed or died.
“Obi is an Igbo man like me. He has never offended me. I have no reason to fight him.
“When the supporters of Obi came to me and demanded settlement. I asked where we would start from? I asked them whether it’s about the N48m I had spent on the case so far that they want to pay.
“If anyone thinks that anybody is sponsoring me, let that person have it in mind that when I started this battle, I did not see Obi in the picture”