By Joe Chukindi
The Labour Party in Anambra State has raised the alarm, over the publication of the names of members of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as it’s candidates for the forthcoming local government election.
The party in a press conference it addressed on Saturday said they neither sold forms for the local government election, nor did it conduct any primary elections to nominate candidates.
The state publicity secretary of the party, Engr Theo Egbe who addressed journalists at the state party secretariat said the election which is scheduled for September 28 is a mere sham.
He said: “They have conducted the elections in their rooms and waiting to announce the results.”
The state secretary of the party, Barr Okoli Akirika who also spoke to journalists said: “During the 2023 election we heard of unknown bishops. We have also been hearing of unknown gunmen, and today through ANSIEC, we are hearing of unknown candidates.
“For purposes of clarity, the person published as candidates of Labour Party are not our members, they were not sponsored by us, and we had already told you people that we are not part of the election.”
Full text of the press release read by the party is below…
REJECTION OF THE PUBLICATION OF KNOWN FACTIONAL APGA MEMBERS AND SERVICING LOCAL GOVERNMENT TRANSITION MEMBERS AS LABOUR PARTY (LP) CANDIDATES IN THE OBNOXIOUS AND OBJECTIONABLE ANAMBRA STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 28™, 2024; AND A REAFFIRMATION OF LABOUR PARTY’S NON PARTICIPATION STANDARD IN THE CHARADE.
Salute to the noble gentlemen of the press, LP State Executive Members and the ever resilient law abiding members of our great party, the Labour Party.
Kindly take note of the previously confirmed position of Labour Party, Anambra State Chapter that the illegally packaged and lawlessly commenced obnoxious LGA Council election being midwifed by the hastily conceived and ill prepared ANSIEC by Anambra State Government is not worthy of our participation and this LP position remains irrevocably unchanged.
This our unchanging position that LP is not participating in the charade has officially been conveyed to ANSIEC and the entire Anambrarians were unmistakably and unequivocally put on the same notice too. Our suit No A/265/2024; LABOUR PARTY VS ANAMBRA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY & ANOR has been duly served on the commission and is still pending in Court.
Our official letter to ANSIEC and copied to the Anambra State Commissioner of police, Anambra State Director of DSS and other relevant bodies, dated 9″ September, 2024, Labour Party remained unequivocal about our total lack of faith, trust and confidence in both ANSIEC and the shabby illegal process they adopted, for being at complete variance with due process and the Electoral Act, 2022.
It is really very worrisome, criminally egregious and outlandishly absurd that Labour Party that sued the commission, never sold nomination forms nor conducted any primary elections, and never submitted its register not to mention submission of any list of
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candidates to ANSIEC, was dubiously published and held out to have ‘sponsored’ candidates for the farcical Local Government Election. A careful perusal of the commission’s list of these fangled Labour Party “candidates” reveals that the names belong to known members of the defeated, soludo faction of APGA, including the name of a current APGA Transition Chairman, (Orumba North LGA) Mr. Nwafor Chinonso Charlesmary Casmir and that of both past and current Transition Councilors of APGA extraction.
The Labour Party, Anambra State Chapter views this conduct of ANSIEC and Anambra State Government as a criminal assault on due process and a rape of the Electoral Laws of the land, as well as unwarranted provocation of the law abiding members of Labour Party at large.
In conclusion sirs, the Labour party family of Anambra State pledges to remain law abiding, even in the face of these glaring absurdities, illegalities and crass provocations and diligently commit to the legal pursuit of dismantling the sham branded Anambra L.G.A Council election via the law courts.
And in good conscience, Labour party still appeals to ANSIEC and the Anambra State Government to save Anambra State the enormous resources clearly billed for wastage by jettisoning this ignoble proposed LGA Council election of 28″ September, 2024 and rather opt for a properly organized Anambra State Local Government Council election by a well prepared, ready and properly equip ANSIEC, that will be based on the rule of law and due process, in which all political parties and voters alike shall meaningfully and procedurally participate.
Anambra state has absolutely nothing to lose by rescheduling this unacceptable and inglorious proposed sham called LGA Council election for a lawful and legal one to be conducted in the nearest future. Rather the state has so much to gain for it.
Thank you and best regards.
Engr Theo Egbe
(LP STATE PUBLICITY SECRETARY)
