The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) says it has renamed the “Obidient directorate” to the directorate of mobilisation and integration.

The “Obidient movement” originated in 2022 following the huge social media popularity of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the LP.

On May 30, the LP announced the appointment of Marcel Ngogbehei as the leader of the ”Obidient movement” and seven other officials to administer the affairs of its newly created directorate.

The appointment came two weeks after the Julius Abure-led national working committee announced the creation of a separate directorate dedicated to the affairs of the “Obidient movement” at a press conference.

On Wednesday, Obi said the movement is not a directorate of any political party.

Reacting in a statement on Thursday, Obiora Ifoh, national publicity secretary of the Labour Party, said the party decided to rename the directorate following criticisms from some stakeholders.

“Following the controversies arising from the creation of the Directorate of OBIDIENT Affairs, in the party, the Directorate is hereby renamed the Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration,” the statement reads.

The LP national publicity secretary added that the inauguration of the directorate will take place on June 8 at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

“The inauguration will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at the party’s National Secretariat, Utako, Abuja, by 10 a.m. Party members and the general public should take note.”

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it is not in merger or amalgamation talks with any political party or interest.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed this in a statement issued after the party’s NWC 587th meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.

Olugunagba said that while PDP was open to all Nigerians, including its former members who left for other parties, the party remained strong and formidable.

According to him, the party is capable of winning elections in a free, fair and transparent electoral process in Nigeria.

“The NWC acknowledges the influx of millions of Nigerians into our party in the ongoing party membership drive in all the electoral wards across the country.

“This further confirms that the PDP remains the party of choice for the majority of Nigerians.

“The public, teeming members of PDP and course, the international community should therefore, disregard any report suggesting any form of merger between the PDP and any other political party, as such is not in the contemplation of our great party,” he said.

Israel Ayeni, the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Ondo, has withdrawn from the race.

The Ondo state governorship election is scheduled to be held on November 16.

On April 26, Ayeni won the NNPP’s ticket after polling 100 votes to defeat his sole rival, Ibrahim Ajagunna, at the party’s primary election.

In his withdrawal letter released on Wednesday in Akure, the state capital, Ayeni said his decision was in the interest of the party.

“I, Ayeni Oluwatosin Israel, a governorship candidate of the NNPP for the November 16, 2024, election in Ondo State, hereby voluntarily withdraw my candidacy from the contest,” the letter reads.

“My withdrawal is in the best interest of our great party, NNPP.

NAN reports that Peter Olagookun, the NNPP’s chairman in Ondo, said Ayeni willingly withdrew his candidacy to make way for a better candidacy of the party.

Olagookun said there would be a substitute governorship primary for the party on Wednesday.

He added that the change of candidacy would further strengthen the party for victory in the forthcoming governorship election.