The Chairman of the Labour Party, LP, in Cross River State, Ambassador Ogar Osim said his party’s popularity is derived from Nigerians’ perception that it is the only party capable of reforming the country’s body politics.
He made the disclosure during his reaction to the speculation that the candidate of his party for Cross River Southern Senatorial District, Daniel Asuquo, has been disqualified by the court and is no longer in the race.
Ogar expressed surprise at the news, arguing that any attempt to deprive Asuquo of his candidature for the senate is already a lost battle as the party has since appealed and even went further to file for a stay of execution order.
According to him, Asuquo, a three-time member of the House of Representatives for the Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency, fulfilled all requirements and passed through all the required procedures before his emergence as their candidate.
“Therefore, there is no basis to disqualify him,” he opined.
Musing about the heightened state of desperation in the country’s politics, especially during electioneering campaigns, Ogar noted: “This is the more reason the Labour Party has come to make reforms at various systems.”
He fingered the judicial system as one of the areas needing reforms.
“Because on the 24th of October, a court passed a judgement on the case involving two persons, and in that judgement, the court said it is the place of the party to produce a candidate of their party. On the 26th of October, another court sat and is trying to disqualify a candidate that has duly fulfilled all party requirements and that of the law and was produced as a candidate of the party. And a court is saying he is not a candidate of that party,” he articulated.
While insisting that Daniel Effiong Asuquo remains Labour Party’s candidate, Osim further noted that the said legal suit is also against the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
“But the plot and the plotters will fail,” he said.