Labour Party Speaks On Withdrawing From Bayelsa Governorship Contest

The Labour Party (LP) has denied reports that the party has withdrawn from the Bayelsa State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 11, 2023.

The party also denied claims that it is now supporting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate and incumbent Governor, Duoye Diri for Saturday’s election.

The clarification follows an earlier allegation by the LP candidate in the forthcoming elections, Udengs Eradiri who claimed in an interview with Arise TV on Thursday that the party’s leadership in the state are backing Governor Diri.

Some other reports said the LP has broken into four factions.

Reacting to the reports, however, the Labour Party’s national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said there is no truth in such reports, adding that the LP is very much in the race and is in it to win.

He also denied any form of alliance with the PDP and Governor Diri.

“The leadership of the Labour Party has described as false and unsubstantiated the news making the rounds that its Bayelsa State chapter has ditched its governorship candidate in the November 11, election, Engr. Udengs Eradiri and has declared its support for the state governor, Douye Diri,” the statement reads.

“The party’s attention was also drawn to a statement issued by some unauthorized party leaders without the consent of the State Chairman and Secretary who supposedly withheld their individual support for our candidate.

“The party leadership also read a statement by the chairman of the Forum of Labour Party Local Government Chairmen as well as the interview granted by our candidate with a national Television today on the matter.

“We sincerely do believe that all these issues are clearly a manifestation of political intrigues and clearly an attempt by the opposition elements to frustrate our chances at achieving victory at the polls.

“Our preliminary investigation on the allegation of financial compromise by the state chapter clearly shows that the alarm was false and has remain one of the age long tools often deployed by political opponents to achieve dubious edge over candidates who are the favourites of the people.

“We need to however state categorically that no party official from the national headquarters has entered into any deal with the Bayelsa State governor to compromise the election.

“We are in this race to win, and we are sure that no amount of dirty politicking can stop the Labour Party and its candidate, a former President of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC from winning the election.

“Comrade Eradiri is young, popular, experienced and with track record of performance at the highest level. His zeal to change the socio-economic status of Bayelsa is unimaginable and unprecedented.”

The LP urged Eradiri to ignore rumours from opponents and remain focused on the task of winning Saturday’s election and called on the people of Bayelsa State to cast their votes for Labour Party on Saturday.

“He (Eradiri) must ensure that the entire party structure is put into maximal use to achieve the needed success,” the LP added.

“Finally, we urge Bayelsa people to disregard the rumour and support the party as they have always done in time past, particularly, in the recently concluded presidential election where the state voted for Labour Party massively.

“They must file out and vote for the Labour Party and vote out these personalities who have held the state down since inception of this democracy.”