The Labour Party (LP) has accused its former national youth leader, Anselem Eragbe, and some suspended party members of being sponsored by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to destabilise the LP.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party maintained that Eragbe is no longer a member of its National Working Committee (NWC).
According to Ifoh, Eragbe has been heavily compromised to work against the interest of the party in its efforts to reclaim the mandate given to it at the last presidential.
The LP Spokesperson urged members of the public to disregard any information that is emanating from Eragbe’s camp, stating that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the LP on April 18, decided their fate in the party, and they have ceased being members of the NWC of the party.
The statement partly read: “The attention of the Labour Party has been drawn to a series of letters emanating from the former National Youth Leader, Anselem Eragbe, addressed to different groups and media organisation wherein he has continued to unleash falsehood to Nigerians on the activities of the Labour Party.
“For clarification, his allegation of forgery against the national chairman is already in the court, and a date has been fixed for the determination of the matter; it, therefore, amounts to contempt of court to continue to peddle the lies while the matter is pending in the court. If he is certain about his claims, he should wait, observe some restraints and prove his allegations in the court.
“We have also sighted the Police Report that he is claiming to have. It is quite amusing because the Police in the report clearly stated that it made the report without hearing from the accused. It also noted that it was done without legal advice and that no legal opinion has been sought. And that they should not be held liable for the content of the document. It means that what they are parading is of no value because if a maker of a document is saying that he should not be held responsible on the content of the document, it means that the document is itself false.
“It will interest you to know that we have since attended to the police invitation.
“The former national youth leader has also claimed that the primary elections that produced our governorship candidates in Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa states are null and void. These are some of the several lies they have continued to dish out to the public, which we are calling on the members of the public to discountenance. The names of our candidates are already submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and have been accorded official attention. Those in doubt should visit the Website of INEC as to who are members of the NWC.”
“Their recent effort suggesting that Abure leadership has agreed to their proposal for out-of-court settlement is one other monumental lie they have pulled but fell flat on its face. We are sounding it clear again that we are not interested in the out of court settlement. We would rather settle the case in the court once and for all. In that way, all the rodents that found their way into the party will be completely extinguished.
“These men are agents of the All Progressives Council, APC and are not hiding it. In the primaries that held in Imo state, their group, heavily sponsored by the state government held and produced three different candidates for the purpose of contending with our candidate in the court. As we speak, they are already approaching the courts to ensure that they make it difficult for our candidate to pursue the election unencumbered. But we are ready for them. These are men that are fighting to take over Labour Party.”
