Lagos LG poll: Labour Party denies pact with PDP

*Suspends chairman

Ahead of the July 22 local government election in Lagos state, the Labour Party has denial having an alliance or pact with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos state for the PDP candidates to contest the election under its platform.

The party said that its state executives never authorized the now suspended former state chairman, Biodun Popoola, to enter into any alliance with any party, adding that the alliances were the sole handiwork of the former chairman who have been suspended from the party.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Daily Times, the newly elected caretaker chairman of the party Mr. Femi Enofe, berated the PDP in the state for attempting to use the party and dump it, stressing that the PDP has been duped. He said that the former chairman was not acting with the consent and support of the state executive of Labour Party.

Enofe added that most of the candidates aspiring under the party were strange to the state executive, noting that the party has now been repositioned nationally for the task ahead.

He said: “The Labour Party was not part of any alliance with PDP. It was the sole decision of the former chairman, did you see any state executive in the press briefing? How can savaldor say they just want to use the party to contest this election win or lose they still belong to PDP we cannot be use.”

“The leader of the party felt we should rescue the party, you cannot b negotiating with one man and one man cannot represent the party it is 419. Most of the candidates pasting posters in town are strange to us but we know they are product of the alliance. We have candidates but their faith is tie down to this election,” Enofe added.

Also speaking the newly elected caretaker state Secretary of the party Bolaji Oshinowo said the party had petitioned the Lagos state independent electoral commission, LASIEC over the issue, stressing the former chairman was acting alone with the PDP and had been suspended from the party.

Bola however revealed that the Labour Party was ready for dialogue with the PDP on the issue, stating:

“We have not been working with any candidates, we have communicated the issue to LASIEC and we would meet with them this week. We are willing to dialogue with PDP if they come to us.”