Politics
We’re Set To Upset PDP, APC In Edo Guber Poll – LP
The national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, says the party has strategically positioned itself to win the 2024 governorship election in Edo state.
Mr Abure said this when Stephen Osemwegie, a governorship aspirant of the party, paid an official visit to the party secretariat in Abuja, at the weekend.
He said the party was committed to fielding a competent candidate and would support any aspirant to enhance Edo’s growth and development.
“The 2024 gubernatorial elections in Edo is going to be a turning point in the history of Edo state,” said Mr Abure, adding “We have strategically positioned ourselves to be the party that will take over leadership of Edo state.”
The party chairman said a level-playing ground was assured as the party’s primary elections would be free, fair and credible.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that our country is in dire need of competent and quality leaders with capacity and vision and leaders who have what it takes for effective performance.
“Today, I am happy that along this line, we are raising leaders and followers who have bought into that vision to reclaim the country, specifically Edo state,” Mr Abure said.
On his part, Mr Osemwegie appreciated the party leadership for providing an enabling environment for all the aspirants in the party.
He said he would make adequate use of the human resources bestowed on the state by ensuring that the unemployment rate was reduced drastically.
“I am honest, I have integrity, I am transparent, and I have a fantastic attitude, and that is what I am bringing to the Edo people,” he said.
Politics
LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction
Mr Ojukwu, who recently returned to the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, noted that the party had 34 elected members in the House of Representatives, eight Senators, and 80 members at the state Houses of Assembly after the 2023 general elections.
“Now we lost all of them,” he said. “I don’t think we have as many as five members in the National Assembly.”
The former national officer of the LP talked to journalists in Abuja and said he chose to join the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi-Usman because they are now the officially recognized leaders of the Party.
“I chose to work with the caretaker committee to help save the Labour Party, for the benefit of the party. I also want to use this chance to ask my colleagues at the national, state, and local government levels to come together and help rebuild our party.
“Another election is around the corner. We lost everything we have. They have left to other political parties. So I’ll reach out to all my friends in the other group to get together and work on making this party stronger again.
“The caretaker committee has formed a reconciliation committee. Let’s come together and talk so that we can restore the first opposition political party in Nigeria.”
Mr Ojukwu, who was part of the Julius Abure’s group, said there are no more factions in the LP.
He added, “There is a court ruling, and since it is valid, the right people are in the correct positions.”
He urged Barr Abure and others to drop the legal cases they have filed because they are not helping the party.
“Litigations are killing political parties”, he said. “They’ve seen many political parties disappear because of legal battles, and the Labor Party is losing support every day, which makes me feel sad.”
Mr Ojukwu said he did not think joining the Senator Nenadi-Usman’s NWC was a betrayal of the Abure group, describing himself as “the oxygen” of that faction.
“I’m with this group because of the verdict. But I never betrayed anybody. Rather, I was betrayed,” he added.
