By Nathan Nwakamma
The Bayelsa chapter of the Labour Party (LP), on Wednesday reaffirmed the candidacy of Mr. Udengs Eradiri as the only validly and legally nominated candidate of the LP for the forthcoming November 11 governorship election in the state.
The Chairman of the Forum of Labour Party Local Government Chairmen, Mr John Toby, disclosed this in a statement in Yenagoa.
He said there was no crisis in the state chapter of the party and that no other candidate exists apart from Eradiri.
Toby said the national leadership of the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognised only Eradiri as the candidate of LP.
He called on voters in Bayelsa and other stakeholders to disregard the antics of the opposition.
He alleged that the state government sponsored some of their supporters and loyal members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest the LP primary election, saying that their aim was to hijack and render the party inactive ahead of the poll.
He said: “But these antics failed because one group, the Bayelsa Development Initiative (BDI), identified the moles and the masqueraders.
“The party took note of them and rejected them during the primary election.
“Only Engr. Udengs Eradiri successfully emerged because he was widely accepted by all stakeholders to fly the flag of the party.
“We are calling on members of the party, voters and other stakeholders to disregard attempts to throw a spanner in the wheels of our party.”
Toby further alerted members of the public of the sinister agenda of some LP leaders, allegedly hobnobbing with the state Government ahead of the poll.
“Their evil agenda is to cause a crisis in our party by creating an impression that LP is supporting Gov. Douye Diri.
“They have been attempting to fly the kite that there are two candidates in our party and so LP is supporting Diri’s re-election.
“This plot is dead on arrival because all the structures of LP at the grassroots are solidly behind our candidate, Engr. Udengs Eradiri.
“Bayelsa people at the grassroots have resonated with our candidate’s PEAP agenda and accepted him as the credible alternative.
“Therefore, no amount of mendacious maneuvering and twisting of facts will stop the coming revolution at the poll.
“It is shameful that at this historical moment when our state is standing at a crossroad, some persons, who should stand up to be counted, are still aligning with forces of darkness.”
Toby said the LP and the people of Bayelsa were proud of the capacity so far displayed by Eradiri, who, he said, had single handedly driven his campaigns across all the senatorial districts of the state, including the far-flung communities, allegedly abandoned in the past.
“They thought that he will trade off his ambition, but he has proved them wrong. He is driving his campaign single handedly and reaching communities ‘long forgotten’. His style of campaign is unique.
“While other moneybags rent crowd to attend their campaign rallies, women, youths, chiefs and elders in their own volition follow Eradiri everywhere he goes,” he said.
Toby insisted that the LP and its candidate would not be distracted by the antics of Bayelsa enemies.
He called on the people to remain focused and determined to change the narrative. (NAN)
