Labour Party denies involvement in merger, coalition talks

The Julious Abure-led national executive of the Labour Party has dismissed speculations that the party is or was involved in talks to either form a coalition or merge with any other opposition party.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh said this in Abuja, on Saturday.

He spoke in response to speculations that the party was involved in such talks with a select group of opposition parties.

Ifoh explained that the party leadership was neither approached nor was it considering such a move.

He also said those peddling rumours that the LP endorsed a new coalition of opposition political parties were a group of individuals who were desperate to derail the party’s rebuilding efforts.

The party’s Spokesman said, “The was news in the media that a group of seven opposition political parties formed a new coalition tagged the Coalition of Concerned Political Parties.

“As was noticed, Labour Party was not represented at the meeting in question and therefore couldn’t have been part of the coalition as suggested by the publication.

“The publication we can confirm quoted one of our officials out of context by giving a false impression that Labour Party endorsed the coalition.

“We have continued to posit that the Labour Party is still undergoing a Post Mortem of the 2023 general election and untill after the exercise, we will not be in a hurry to join the fray of any political arrangement.

“However, we will continue to participate in select meetings of like minds where issues arising from the last general elections are discussed with intentions to propose plausible solutions to developments that are threats to our democracy.

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“Labour Party is interested in leading discussions on electoral reforms in Nigeria. We will like to find a lasting solution where a President of Nigeria with a population of over 200 million emerge with less that 9 million votes, and with less than 10 percent of registered voters.

“Labour Party is also interested in finding a lasting solution to a situation where the courts have usurped powers of the electorate.

“It is frustrating that after all the stress involved in elections on the sides of both the candidates and the electorate, and after securing electoral victories at the polls, 3 or 5 individuals gleefully upturn the verdict of the people on the alter of some unfounded technicalities. That is not what democracy preaches.”

He, however, stated that the party was ready to support a meeting or conferences of fellow opposition political parties in Nigeria with a view to brainstorm in order to champion a new brand of democracy which will work in the interest of Nigeria’s down trodden.