LAFIA: As residents of Nasarawa State prepare to elect new leaders across its 13 Local Government Areas on November 2, 2024 the state’s chapter of the Labour Party on Sunday called for peaceful and credible conduct of the polls.
The chairman Nasarawa State chapter of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Alexander Ombugu, closed this during the commencement of screening of aspirants vying for chairmanship and counsellorship positions in the forthcoming election, expressed the readiness of the party to participate in the electoral process.
He, however called on the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission to ensure that the elections are free, fair and credible in order to justify the confidence reposed in the electoral umpire by the entire residents of the state.
He, therefore urged NASIEC to collaborate with the security agencies in the state in order to forestall any breakdown of law and order during the polls.
Ombugu said, “The Labour Party in Nasarawa State is fully ready to participate in the November 2 Local Government elections. We just commenced the screening of our aspirants today, and by 15th of this month (October), we hope to commence with the primary elections for both the chairmanship and counsellorship positions.
“We decided to participate in the LG polls because of the assurances given to us by NASIEC that the elections will be free and fair. We are hoping that the electoral umpire will stand by its words and allow the process to go smoothly without any form of interference.”
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Ombugu further declared the state LP’s support for the Supreme Court’s judgement which granted full autonomy to the 774 Local Government Areas in the country.
He explained that the autonomy which was granted to the LGAs, would enhance democracy at the grassroots level and empower the authorities to make decisions that would have positive impacts on the lives of the rural dwellers.
Speaking on the crisis rocking the party at the national level, Ombugu congratulated the national chairman of the party, Julius Abure on his recent victory at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja which validated the March 2024 Nnewi national convention of the party and affirmed his position.
While declaring the state chapter’s total support to him to ensure the success of his administration, the Nasarawa State LP chairman explained that Abure had been facing difficult times because some persons who were not comfortable with his transparent leadership style are keen on compelling him to leave the chairmanship seat at all costs.
“On this issue happening at the national level of our dear party, what I will say is that all of us in the Nasarawa State Labour party are solidly behind our National Chairman, Julius Abure. He is a transparent leader. We love him and we will continue to stand by him,” he added.
Ombugu, however, used the opportunity to appeal to all aggrieved members of the party to put aside their differences and settle all the issues amicably in order to ensure victory for the party during the 2027 general elections.
