The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Comrade Julius Abure, has made a bold declaration that the party will resist any attempts to manipulate the ongoing gubernatorial elections in Abia and Enugu states. In a statement issued in Abuja, Abure threatened to call out Obidients on a nationwide protest against the electoral fraud perpetrated against the party, both at the presidential/National Assembly and governorship/State Assemblies elections.
According to Abure, the LP has received reports from party men on the ground indicating that the ongoing governorship and state house assembly elections are not different from the criminality orchestrated against their presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, during the February 25 presidential election. The LP is witnessing a situation where a sitting governor in Abia State is fully involved in an attempt to upturn the victory of the Labour Party candidate, Alex Otti, in the Abia State governorship election that has been clearly won by their candidate.
Similarly, the same scenario is currently playing out in Enugu State, where the LP’s candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, is currently leading in virtually all the local governments so far announced. As we speak, INEC staff are held hostage at Obingwa Local Govt by Governor Ikpeazu and his cohorts to rewrite the results already compiled by INEC officials, despite orders from the election body asking their staff to head to Umuahia to collate results of the election, which is in favor of Labour Party’s Alex Otti.
Abure called on the Inspector General of Police to intervene and ensure the transfer of all electoral materials to Umuahia, where the sanctity of the election and safety of the officials in charge can be guaranteed. He further pointed out that Ikpeazu cannot rig the election in his local government, which he lost in the senatorial elections on the 25th. Similarly, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who lost woefully in the last election in Enugu North Senatorial zone, is currently doctoring the results from the zone with the help of some compromised INEC staff and police to ensure that PDP is returned elected in the state against the wishes of the electorate.
Abure reiterated that Labour Party has endured what no other political party in the country has endured in the last few weeks because they believe in due process. However, it appears this is taken for granted, and the LP will not be patient for too long. He vowed that the LP will resist every attempt by the PDP in Abia and Enugu states to upturn their mandate.
Abure disclosed that the LP had thoroughly reviewed all infractions and has reached a decision that never again will it allow the use of foul means to usurp power, as was done in the recent past where it was merely asked “to go to court.” He threatened that unless these attempts at broad daylight robbery were nipped in the bud, the party would be left with no option than to mobilize Obidients nationwide to occupy the streets.
The LP has reviewed the rigging of Edo state house assembly elections, including other affected states, and is putting evidence of infractions in place to name and shame all democratic criminals. Abure stated that in as much as the LP remains a law-abiding political party, conducting its affairs strictly within the ambit of our nation’s electoral laws, the party would henceforth resist rigging and move to the streets to reclaim its stolen mandates.
Finally, Abure directed supporters across the country to get ready for their signal to take over the streets, as the party will henceforth directly and physically confront and resist the election riggers from always having a field day in seizing our democratic institutions and circumventing the rules during elections.
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