LP Denies Aligning With Obaseki For The March 18 Polls, Warns INEC

Edo State Labour Party (LP) has denied allegations spreading in the social media that the party was trying to align with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), led by Governor Godwin Obaseki to win the March 18 governorship and State Assembly elections in the state.
Denying the allegations at a press briefing in Benin city, the Edo State LP chairman, Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi, said there was no such plan. He disclosed the LP was mobilizing massive support for all its candidates in order for them to secure victory in the polls.
Ogbaloi stated: “Information reaching the hierarchy of the Labour Party is that the PDP had been engaged in last minute manoeuvring, running nocturnal meetings and seeking ways to meet Labour Party House of Assembly candidates.
“This can be understood from the damming failure they experienced in the polls on February 25, 2023, but we declare with every detail that they could be running the bends but certainly not with Labour Party and its House of Assembly candidates.
“We unequivocally declare that we are going into the election with all our heart and therefore not holding consultations or judicial disposition with any political party, be it PDP or APC. We further declare that those PDP allegedly invited to a meeting are no members of the Labour Party.”
The LP Chairman equally blamed INEC for mixing up the election result sheets. “We have received the results declared by INEC and hold the view that the institution has not done well as all the results across the country were riddled with manipulations and contestable”.
He decried the failure of the electoral body to improve and the collusion of the police to defraud the electorate.
“Outright physical attacks by persons allegedly identified as government agents in collusion with the Nigeria Police was reported. In some instances, result sheets and other election materials were taken away. Our expectation was that by the age of INEC today, they would bring to the electoral table such improvement that can be definitely sophisticated and setting of new standards for the world on election management.
“No, what we saw was shameful compromises, reckless indulgence and thoughtless cancellation of elections in the units, and avoidable omissions. The almighty BVAS glowingly extolled by Professor Mamoud Yakubu and his gangs was a fiasco.”
Calling on INEC to review results from LP supporters Ogbaloi said: “LP strongly asks INEC to immediately go back to those units in Edo State whose votes belong to us and conduct fresh election in them just as we bring to the notice of the public, security agencies with definite reference to DSS, that the PDP, held a meeting on February 26, 2023, and concluded plans to thoroughly reduce INEC and request them to tinker with the declared Edo South election results. Labour Party resolved that, this will be resisted, INEC is warned.”
Comrade Ogbaloi encouraged the people of Edo State, their supporters, other groups to come out in full strength and replicate the gallantry they showed in the presidential and National Assembly polls last Saturday.
However, Edo State governor through Chris Osa Nehikhare, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, said the result of the election was unacceptable to the Peoples’ Democratic party in the state.