Labour Party not part of PDP Coalition -Mike Omotosho

National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Mike Omotosho, has said the party is not in any coalition with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other 30 political parties to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next year’s general election.

He said the PDP listed over 30 political parties among those in its planned coalition to challenge APC, adding that some of the political parties had denied consenting to the coalition, with the Labour Party publicly dissociating itself from the merger, which he described as “a clandestine gathering and an unholy alliance of strange bedfellows.”

Omotosho reiterated that Labour Party is guided by strict principles and ideals, which cannot be compromised, saying the LP is not just a political party, but, also, a movement.

He described Labour Party as a people-driven organisation established to fight for the rights and interests of the people, rather than those of the political class.

He alleged that the rumoured coalition was the contraption of the former national chairman of the party, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, who, he alleged has been masquerading as the party’s chairman, adding that the former chairman was removed from office at a special national convention on October 3, 2017, and should, therefore, not speak for the party.

He said: “We wish to unequivocally state that the Labour Party is not part of any coalition. The leadership of the party has not been consulted, neither has there been any formal meeting or agreement between our party and any other political party in Nigeria.”

He said the coalition, as it were, was a brainchild of the PDP, and as such, could not be trusted to embody the political ideals that Nigerians expect of the party.

He hinged his scepticism from the fact that the merger, which he described as heterogeneous one, would not stand the test of time, when the components groups begin to press for their respective interests, citing as an example, the challenges that engulfed the APC recently.

He urged politicians targeting the Labour Party for their selfish interests, to look elsewhere, adding that Labour Party is an institutional party attached to the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, and the civil society, which oversee its activities and monitor its progress.

Abubakar Sanni should account for N500Billion. -PDP’s Candidate UmarNasko

The governorship candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) for 2019 election in Niger State, Alhaji Umar Nasko, has accused the All Progressive Congress (APC) led administration in the state of squandering N500 billion in the last three years without anything to show for it.

Alhaji Nasko said the APC government has, between 2015 to date, collected over N500 billion in allocation and other grants from the Federation Account, but cannot point to a single project worth N5 billion in the last three years.

The governorship candidate in his various social media handles, regretted that despite the huge sums of money that has accrued to the state, the present administration has incurred a debt of N100 billion.

“N500 billion received between 2015 to date and no project worth N5 billion can be found anywhere in the state, debt profile is now N100 billion, this cannot happen with Nasko as the governor,” he said.

He pointed out that while hospitals, schools and other infrastructure are begging for attention in the state, the government expended a whole N1.990 billion to build fence around government house, a project he said has no direct bearing on the people.

He also asked the APC administration to account for over N50 billion bailout and Paris refund which he alleged had gone into private pockets.

He said the choice facing the people in 2019 is between moving forward and failed promises, adding that he would take full responsibility for governance and will not become an absentee governor.

Nasko, while lamenting the deplorable condition of roads in the state, wondered why a government that has received this huge amount of money could not fix the 84-kilometer Minna-Bida Road and the 94-kilometer Minna-Suleja Road which have claimed many lives in recent time.

“They said they promised nothing and so Niger people should not expect anything. I’m promising and I’ll keep my promise because leadership requires innovative ideas and not blame game”, he said.

He gave the assurance that if voted into office, he will eliminate the discriminations in the payment of school fees at all levels of education in the state, stressing that “I believe that every child should have equal opportunity to education regardless of tribe and ethnic nationalities.

“I will make Niger State, a state for all where everyone will have equal opportunity irrespective of zone, tribe or ethnic background”.

Nasko stated further that Welfare of civil servants will top his agenda “because they are the backbone of development, massive infrastructure, investment. Poverty reduction will also be my priority”.