The Third Force group led by Professor Pat Utomi, Attahiru Jega and Femi Falana amongst others has adopted the Labour Party as the Force’s grand coalition mega movement ahead of the 2023 elections.
The group is made up of the National Consultative Front, (NCFront), led by Utomi, which teamed up with The Political Alternative Movement (TPAM), led by human rights lawyer and activist, Falana, as well as the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Prof. Jega, and Senator Saidu Dansadau of the National Rescue Movement, amongst others.
The Third Force team which revealed the decision at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, said it was putting a programme in place to lead an electoral coalition of seven allied parties for a single presidential ticket.
In a statement signed by the Communications Executive of NCFront, Bilikis Bello, the coalition stated that the adoption of the Labour Party by the Third Force was a result of 15 months of “painstaking engagements by the NCFront, the umbrella body of the ‘3rd Force’
with like-minded allied political parties, which led to a reunion between the leadership of the Labour Movement and the hierarchy of the Labour Party jointly led by President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba and the President of the Trade Union Congress, Quadri Olaleye, with the aim of aligning for the 2023 elections.”
In the statement titled, ‘At Last! Labour Party Emerges as ‘3rd Force’ Mega Party For 2023 Elections,’ the NCFront stated that with the endorsement of the Labour Party, the movement has “commenced the fusion of its structures of over 20 million members and supporters nationwide into the LP.
“With the adoption of the Labour Party as our ‘3rd Force’ Mega Party penultimate week, the NCFront has since commenced the fusion of its structures of over 20 million members and supporters nationwide into the Labour Party,” the statement said.
“Consequently, our teeming members all over Nigeria and in Diaspora have been directed to register immediately as members of the Labour Party at all designated registration centres, both online and physically at the ward levels, to be able to take part in the ongoing electoral programmes of the Party for the 2023 elections.
“To this end, an inclusive consensus technical committee will be set up next month to screen presidential candidates and other candidates of ‘3rd Force’ allied parties; after the conclusion of all party primaries.
“The ‘3rd Force’ Coalition leaders and parties are expected to jointly address the nation sometime this week to announce the new agenda to save Nigeria from imminent collapse and anarchy foisted by the ruling Parties in Nigeria,” the statement said.
