Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, says he has respect for Labour Party for its ability to pull together a large followership within a short period of time.
Keyamo, who is the spokesperson of All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), however, said the Peter Obi’s Labour Party would not be able to win this year’s 2023 presidential election.
Speaking at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) flagship progamme, NAN forum in Abuja on Sunday, Keyamo said there won’t be need for a presidential run-off election as Bola Tinubu would get the highest votes and the spread required by the Constitution for him to win at first ballot.
He said that with the way Nigeria Constitution and its demography were designed vise-a-vise the constitution provision for a runoff, it was almost impossible to have a run-off election.
“To be honest with you, two parties can easily make the 25 per cent in 24 states and that is the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They have this spread.
“So, let’s be let’s be honest about that. Yes, they have the spread, because they have been parties that have been long in trench and they have structures everywhere.
“APC is more likely to make that 25 per cent, PDP less likely, but possible.
“Labour Party (LP), it is almost impossible. It is not a comical matter is a very factual matter. Factual because it’s a party that I’ve not spend enough time.
“The whole praise for the LP and I praise them too is that they have done a lot of work within short time,’’ he said.
Keyamo commended the LP for it relatively large followership saying however, it was not a party to beat in 2023 general election.
“Demographically of course, the LP votes are concentrated only in a part of this country and that was seen during the rallies here and there, even in terms of the proper polls that have been conducted.
“For me, I’ve said this before, it’s not a matter of arrogance, that I can bet anything that’s precious to me, LP cannot win.
“We know the way Nigeria is configured, that is why I said it’s difficult to have a run-off,” he said.
Keyamo said that APC don’t see the LP as a threat in the 2023 election, as it was not capable of taking over any of the states under its control, saying however, that the party was a bigger threat to the PDP especially in the South-East.
“LP is projected to take to six states away from the PDP. The whole of eastern states. Most likely they will come to the South South and take one or two away from PDP.’’
Speaking on the PDP aggrieved governors known as Integrity Governors, aka G-5 Governors, Keyamo said it was unfortunate that the opposition party lacked the capacity to keep its house in order.
He said that the development in PDP showed that the party lacked the capacity to unite people together and different interests.
“I am sure you can see how swiftly Tinubu put his house together after the primaries.
“Of course, if the APC had the same different camps and different voices after the primaries, but little by little Tinubu carefully blended everybody together, make sure the house was tight.
“Even if they are decent now, you can see that they’re not speaking out, unlike our brothers on the other side.
“Tinubu has been able to manage these issues but the other side they just went haywire and it also shows the ability of opposition party candidates to unite his house together. ‘’
Keyamo wondered how PDP would be able to manage Nigeria if it cannot unite itself.
“The G-5 governors to me is an indication that the PDP cannot manages its affairs and so they cannot manage the affairs of Nigeria.’’
Keyamo said that for APC it was glad that the division was working for the ruling party.
“For us, it is politics. We are glad, some of them are working for us. We are glad you saw what happened in Oyo State, what happened in Rivers. Without saying anything it was clear the direction the votes are going and that is a plus for us.
“Don’t forget those were the states we lost. We lost Oyo in 2019. It was the only South West State we lost. They are the two critical states we lost.
“Even look at between 2019 and 2021 2023 now, the factors that have changed in the polity, the factors are more in our favorable.
“Since 2019. PDP lost three governors to us. Zamfara, Ebonyi and Cross River. Who did we loss to them?’’
He said that APC was happy was happy about how things were working in favour of the party and its candidate, Tinubu.
“Our billboards are now everywhere in Port Harcourt to the glory of God Almighty. So people should get use to seen Tinubu taking oath of office on May 29.’’
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