The Ebonyi State chapter of the Labour Party has adopted its presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, as the party’s national leader.

The party stakeholders also adopted Fidelis Nwankwo as the leader of the party in the state.

The endorsement was part of the six-point communique issued at the end of an expanded stakeholders briefing held in Abakaliki on Sunday.

The communique was signed by the leaders of the Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone and Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone, Mr Linus Okorie, and Emmanuel Ezeh, respectively.

The communique was also endorsed by Mr Emmanuel Nwobo, Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone, on behalf of members of the National Transition Committee and conveners of the expanded stakeholders briefing.

The meeting also solicited the support of its members ahead of the party’s planned National Convention and state congress to elect new leaders of the party.

The communique reads: members of the NTC of the party, Chief Fidelis Nwankwo, Okorie and Ezeh, convened the expanded stakeholders briefing with a view to informing members of the party’s, state chapter, about future political activities of the emerging Labour Party, including mobilisation of new members and registration.

“The members of the NTC also shared details of 2023 post-election reviews conducted by the national and state working committees at the party, which the stakeholders resolved as follows:

“That Mr Peter Obi, remains the National Leader of the Party.

“That Obi is bestowed with the appropriate competencies to salvage the Nigerian economy from its declining fortunes.

“Stakeholders observed the need to support the National Transition Committee in its bid to conduct an all-inclusive state congress and national convention of the Labour Party, respectively.”

The stakeholders also urged feuding stakeholders of the Party to sheath their divisive swords in the overall interest of the party and its target to better the lots of Nigerians.

It added, “A united Labour Party in the state shall pursue with vigour the conversion and registration of new members into the party at the right and designated time and also set a target of 400,000 members.

“Also, in a motion moved by Chief Jerry Obasi, the former Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance and deputy governorship candidate of the APGA in the 2015 general election in the state, adopted Nwankwo as leader of the party in the state.

“Seconded by Mr Sylvester Nwankwo, former House of Assembly member in the state, with stakeholders unanimously adopting Nwankwo as leader of the state party.”