The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) Barrister Julius Abure has denied any interest in contesting the 2024 governorship election in Edo State.
The chairman made the clarification in a statement issued on Monday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh.
The statement explained that the clarification became necessary following several inquiries from the media and other party members after a group at the national headquarters of the party on Monday urged Abure to join the governorship race.
The group had reportedly argued that the presence of Abure in the race would bring to an end agitation by some non-party members allegedly bent on hijacking the party primaries ahead of the governorship election.
But Ifoh in the statement released clarified that Abure’s focus at the moment is to help the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi reclaim his mandate and reposition the party.
He called on all aspirants interested in the off-season governorship elections in Edo, Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi States to continue their consultations.
“Presently, the National Chairman is preoccupied with helping our Presidential Candidate in the February 25 election, Peter Obi to reclaim his mandate freely given to him by Nigerians.
“He is also about to embark on a membership drive across the states of the Federation in a way to reposition the party ahead of future elections, particularly, the off season elections in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states.
“We are therefore calling on all our party members in Edo state particularly, our aspirants for the governorship election to remain focused and to go ahead with their consultations. We assure our aspirants that the party will go into this election in line with our rules and guidelines as stipulated by our constitution,” Ifoh said.
