Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
Ahead of Edo State local government election, slated for September this year, the Labour Party (LP) in the state has said that it would create upsets by winning a chunk of the local government areas in the state contrary to the practice where ruling parties most times allocate victories to themselves in local government elections in the country.
Besides, the party said for this to be achieved, there has to be a credible and fair process from the Edo State Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) which it charged to create a level playing field for all participating political parties.
A leader and chieftain of the party in Edo State, Dr. Oghogho Okundaye, in a chat with journalists in Benin City, said the party successfully had its primary election to pick its chairmanship candidates and was banking on its organic following especially from the youth population to win elections.
According to him, “We have carefully conducted the primaries, like you all know that our primary was done in May and then ratified. So we are ready to go and our hope is that the process is fair and free and that’s what we stand for.
“Again, you know, traditionally, we have seen where the sitting party emerges winner in all local government areas in the state but we are not disturbed by that, we are relying on the organic network that we have as a party.
“It is no longer news that the Labour Party is well liked and loved and the strength of the youth and the movement that the youths constitute in our politics today, gives us the advantage that no other political party has.
“So in that light, we are confident that we will be putting up a good show in the forthcoming local government.
“All that we are asking is that the process be fair, if the process is fair, given what Labour Party stands for, given what we’ve been able to demonstrate in the previous elections regardless of the outcome of the outcome of the elections, we are confident that Labour Party will emerge the winner of many of the local government areas in this state.”
