The Labour Party, under the leadership of Comrade Julious Abure, has called a letter supposedly sent by its former Vice Chairman, Lamidi Apapa, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fraudulent. The letter claimed to nominate candidates for governorship.
The party advised people to ignore attempts by rebellious members to cause confusion.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, stated in a Sunday release in Abuja that the party was aware of the letter from “a group of dissenters and former members.” Apapa’s group wanted INEC to recognize Anderson Uwadiae Asemote and Monday Ojore Mawa as governorship and deputy governorship candidates, but the party disowned the letter.
Ifoh emphasized that the letter should be disregarded, pointing out that it lacked the party’s endorsement.
He explained, “Like in any official setting, letters or correspondences are stamped upon receipt. While acknowledgment doesn’t imply acceptance, INEC should verify signatories of future correspondences.”
He also noted that the party had conducted its primaries, which were televised and observed by INEC officials, contrary to the claims made in the letter.
Ifoh questioned how a group could organize a primary election without public knowledge, media coverage, or INEC supervision, yet expect INEC to act on their letter. He asserted that INEC only recognized the primary conducted by the party led by Barrister Julius Abure.
