The Labour Party in Ogun state has described the forthcoming Local Government Election in Ogun state as a referendum on the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) which has impoverished the people and created so much pains, misery and hunger in the land. The party asserted that the good people of Ogun state were yearning for a change and the Labour Party as a third force was in a vantage position to provide the populace with the needed change and purposeful and developmental leadership at the grassroot.
According to a statement issued by Tokunbo Peters, the party’s Publicity Secretary in Ogun state, the party made these assertions over the weekend at a workshop organised in Abeokuta for its Chairmanship and Councillorship candidates in the Local Government Election slated for November 16th.
The Chairman of the party in Ogun state Engr Lookman Abiodun Jagun disclosed that the party will be fielding candidates to contest the Chairmanship and Councillorship elections in all the twenty Local Government Areas of the state.
Amongst the Candidates for the Chairmanship positions are Comrade Afolabi Oluwafemi Thomas the party’s flag bearer for Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, Comrade Esuola Oluwagbenga – Ifo Local Government Area, Comrade Okusanya Akinola Olalekan – Ijebu North Local Government and Comrade Olubowale Obaloluwa Ayo who is contesting for the chairmanship position of Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area.
Other candidates are Comrade Idowu Omololu Olugbenga – Abeokuta North Local Government Area, Comrade Arikewuyo Ismaila – Sagamu Local Government Area, Comrade Mustapha Ayoola Ishola – Yewa South Local Government Area, Comrade Rasheed Abiodun Lateef – Ijebu East Local Government Area, Comrade Akinola Gabriel – Ipokia Local Government Area and Comrade Alani Elijah Juwan who is contesting the chairmanship position for Ewekoro Local Government Area.
Engr Jagun charged all the Chairmanship and Councillorship aspirants to go all out and embark on a vigorous grassroot campaign in all the nooks and crannies of their respective Local Government Areas and wards. He enjoined them to spread the message of change, the social welfare programmes of the Labour Party, selfless service, grassroot development and inspiring leadership which are the hallmarks of the Labour Party.
Engr Jagun disclosed that the focus of the Labour Party will be on bringing unprecedented development to the grassroots by focusing on the construction and maintenance of drainages and rural roads, delivering quality primary education and health services. The Labour Party government at the third tier will also prioritise agriculture by providing mechanise equipment and improved seedlings for farmers.
Honourable Kehinde Shogunle, the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party in the last general election, while delivering a paper on SWOT Analysis at the event, congratulated the candidates for emerging victorious at the party primaries. He enjoined them to identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and put in place the necessary machinery towards winning the election. He reiterated that there are no moneybags in Labour Party and that the party does not indulge in money politics, but relies on the organic support of the electorates to win votes. He called on all party faithfuls to be weary of the antidemocratic antics of the ruling party and to be vigilant and protect the votes of the Labour Party during the election.
Also speaking at the event were the Legal Adviser of the party, Barrister Oluwafemi Ibiayo and the Organising Secretary Comrade Abiodun Adewuni who took turns in admonishing the candidates to monitor and protect their votes during the voting process and collation exercise because of the underhand activities which the ruling party was well known for. The candidates were advised to engage trusted, loyal, dedicated and faithful partymen as polling unit agents and collation agents for the electoral exercise.
In their response, the Chairmanship candidates thanked the party for finding them worthy to fly the party flag at the forthcoming Local Government polls. They all promised to work tirelessly to win the election in their various local government areas.
