By Sunday Ani
Chairman of the Lagos State Executive Committee of the Labour Party (LP), Comrade Olukayode Salako, has debunked insinuation that the party is factionalised, insisting that no faction exists, existed and would never exist in the party.
He made the clarification in Lagos at a media conference, where he reiterated that the executive committee under leadership was the only party structure in Lagos State. “This executive body was duly constituted by the national executive organ of the party and a letter to that effect duly signed by the national chairman and secretary, Julius Abure and Alhaji Umar Faruk Ibrahim respectively, was given to us. The national body equally forwarded our names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which was acknowledged and accepted by the electoral body,” he said.
He further noted that the press conference was to present the new executive and seek acceptance from the media community not only in Nigeria but also globally. “There is no faction of the executive officers in Lagos LP. This 24-man executive committee is the constitutionally recognized executive body in Lagos. Any other group outside this one amounts to illegality as such other body doesn’t have anything legal to do with the national body,” he added.
He said the party’s mission was to form the next government in Lagos State, but lamented that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led state government was intimidating opponents. “We know the peculiar dynamic challenges that opposition parties face in Lagos but we are practising democracy and not autocracy. We have heard that no party but APC is allowed to campaign in Lagos State but as long as we are within the confines of law, we shall continue to operate. Nigeria is a country governed by law and the law says that LP can operate anywhere in Nigeria,” he said.
He challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to wake from slumber and face governance, promising that LP was determined to take over the government if the president refused to wake up. “LP is the rave of the moment because the grace of God has come down on our party. I am obedient to Nigeria and in February, I am going to be useful with my PVC. It is then we will know those who are useless. We can’t continue to vote for leaders who are inept and clueless,” he said.
He also called on the President and the leadership of all the security agencies, particularly the Inspector general of Police to appeal to the APC led government in Lagos State to allow LP run its affairs. He said: “They are intimidating us. We are receiving messages that only the ruling APC is permitted to run campaigns in Lagos. We are in a democracy and not autocracy. LP is coming to emancipate and deliver Nigerians from everything negative that they have been experiencing. We are calling on Nigerians to come and experience freedom with the LP.”