The Labour Party, LP, has condemned in strong terms the continuous killings of its members in parts of the country.
Addressing journalists on Monday, December 19, 2022, in Kaduna, the party’s National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim Mai Rakumi, lamented the continuous killing of its members, particularly in Kaduna State and called on the ruling party to rise to the occasion and save the lives of innocent Nigerians.
He said, “The spate of the killings of our members is worrisome, I call on the federal government and Kaduna State governments to take proactive measures towards ensuring the protection of its members and Nigerians in general.”
“Our great party has noticed with dismay in recent times, the spate of killings of our party supporters in Kaduna State. Particularly in southern Kaduna which is one of our strongholds and the constituency of our Gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Asake is becoming a source of concern.”
“Just last week our great party lost eight members in Kaura local government and Zangon Kataf Local Government respectively. This series of killing within a short time is highly condemnable and insensitive, especially in this festive period,” he noted.
He also called on the Kaduna State government to put all the mechanisms in motion to apprehend and prosecute those responsible for the criminality.
“The killing of the amiable woman leader of the Labour Party in Kaduna state, Mrs Victoria Chintex is still fresh in our minds and we will follow up with her gruesome murder till the Kaduna State government apprehends the culprits,” he assured.
He opined that the Labour Party views all the killings in its major strongholds in Kaduna State and some parts of the country as a calculated attempt to demoralise supporters in next year’s elections in the country.
“I want to assure the good people of Kaduna State that as the labour party waxes stronger on daily basis, many members of other political parties are dumping their party for the Labour Party because it is the only party that can take Nigerians to greater heights.”
Labour Party Decries Attack On Women Leader, Members In Kebbi
The Labour Party, LP, has denounced the attack on the Woman Leader of its Presidential Campaign Council, in Kebbi State, Mrs Florence Ibrahim.
The LP Presidential Campaign Council lamented that thugs attacked and burnt her food vending business on the 26th of November 22nd, due to her uncompromising position with the PDP.
Yunusa Tanko, the chief spokesperson of the LP PCC, said this in a statement in Abuja, on Friday, December 9, 2022.
He also condemned the 25th November 2022 attack on its members in Kebbi State.
Tanko had on Thursday cautioned that the speech of power grabbing of APC presidential candidate Bola Tinubu in a London restaurant is capable of propelling massive violence in the 2023 general elections.
He said, “It is quite alarming and disheartening that at this point in the political space of Nigeria, some Politicians are yet primitive enough to sponsor attacks on party members. “
Tanko noted that the news media is awash with reports of attacks on members of the Labour Party across Nigeria.
He recalled that on December 3, 2022, one of such reports displayed in a newspaper was titled: “Many Injured As Hoodlums Attack Labour Party’s Rally In Lagos.”
The incident, he quoted the newspaper as saying, caused pandemonium in the area as people were seen scampering for safety and running for their lives.
“Several people were reportedly injured when hoodlums alleges to be sponsored by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) attacked the Labour Party’s rally in the Lakowe town area of Lekki, Lagos State.” He said.
He equally said, “On 27th September 2022, there was a report in the media titled “Gunmen attack Enugu Labour Party meeting,” Gunmen suspected to be political thugs have again disrupted a meeting of the Labour Party in Enugu State.
“The attack, it was gathered, took place on Saturday at Nomeh Primary School in Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state.
“That was the third time in less than two months that gunmen would be attacking supporters of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the state.
“November 14, 2022, there was another attack reported in the dailies captioned “2023: Many injured as Ebubeagu allegedly attack LP loyalists in Ebonyi.
“Many members of the Labour Party, LP, in Ebonyi State have reportedly been injured following an alleged attack on the party’s loyalists at a rally by gunmen in Okposi, Ohaozara Local Government Area, LGA, of Ebonyi State.
“The gunmen, LP alleged, were members of Ebonyi Command of the Southeast Security Outfit code-named Ebubeagu.
“The gunmen, according to the LP House of Assembly candidate for Ohaozara East Constituency, David Ogbonna, shot at the party faithful and inflicted varying degrees of injuries on them.
“October 10, 2022, “Gunmen attack Labour Party members again in Enugu, set motorcycles, cars ablaze,” was also reported.
“Labour Party members came under attack again on Sunday in Enugu State. The latest incident, which occurred at Umuida, Enugu-Ezike, in the Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the State makes it four such attacks within the past few months. The party has been attacked in Aninri, Awgu, Oji River and now Igbo-Eze North.
Also, on November 29, 2022, “Gunmen kill Labour Party women leader in Kaduna,” Gunmen killed the women leader of the Labour Party (LP), Victoria Chintex in Kaura LG of Kaduna State.
The National Publicity Secretary said, “It is now obvious that our opponents are not ready for free and fair elections in 2023 no wonder that the Presidential candidate of the APC Ahmed Bola Tinubu did not sign the peace Accord of Former Head of state and chairman lead National Peace Committee of Abdul salami Abubakar and Bishop Hassan Mathew Kukah on the 29th of September 2022.
Dr Tanko demanded that security agencies probe the incident and ensure that the culprits be brought to justice to serve as a deterrent to others who may be nurturing such a sinister agenda in the future.
He also warned that members and supporters of the party will henceforth not fail to defend themselves as this attack continue unabated.
