The Edo State Chapter of the Labour Party has replied to an allegation of lack of preparedness levelled against the party, by a Governorship aspirant under the platform of the LP, in the forthcoming Governorship election in the State, Olumide Akpata.
Akpata who is contesting on the LP platform had alleged in a letter written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, that the party was not prepared for its primary election, to choose a candidate that would represent it at the 2024 poll in Edo State.
The LP in a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Sam Uroupa, said the party would not have honoured the letter with a response but for concerns raised regarding integrity, fairness, and transparency of the ward congress and primaries.
The statement reads, “To set the record straight, Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata complained that there is a complete blackout of information on the venues for the 192 ward congress scheduled to hold on 20th February 2024 -is not true.
“Upon the issuance of the guidelines and schedule for the congress and primaries, it was explicitly mentioned that the congresses would convene at the ward headquarters of the 192 wards, as outlined in the guidelines.
“This information alone adequately informs aspirants, delegates, and party members about the designated venue for the congress.
“Also, the Electoral Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Edo State Chapter was duly communicated via a letter dated 15th February 2024 with Ref. No: LP/ESO/INEC/2024-322, notifying them of the ward congress taking place on the 20th February 2024 in the ward secretariat across the 192 wards in Edo State.”
The LP’s Secretary further denied claims by Akpata that the Party was reluctant to organize a stakeholders meeting, claiming that it has been organizing a series of stakeholder meetings, to keep them informed about the strategies and activities scheduled for the congress and primaries.
He further claimed that a screening committee was set up for the delegates to the congress and has come up with its screening report that is already in the public domain of the various LGAs and wards.
Uruopa however disclosed that aspirants who withdrew their ambitions did so because they were not officially recognized as LP aspirants.
“Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata’s claim that the lack of transparency regarding the primary election process resulted in a mass departure of aspirants from the party is false.
“This is because those who withdrew or abandoned their supposed ambitions were not officially recognized as LP aspirants.
“Aspirants are individuals who have successfully purchased both the expression of interest and nomination forms, as opposed to those who merely expressed interest without completing the form purchase. None of the individuals in question acquired either the nomination form or expression of interest,” he added.
