Ondo LP Forecloses Merger

The Labour Party in Ondo State yesterday advised those who would want to see the submerging of the party with any other political parties to perish the thought saying said the government it produced remains committed and unwavering in its commitment to the welfarist and people-oriented ideals of the Labour movement in Nigeria.

The LP in a release issued by its Chairman in the State, Dr Olaiya Oni, a former Minister of Education, noted that rather than anybody trying to hoodwink the electorate and in the face of mounting pressure on the Governor Olusegun Mimiko government to dump the LP, said the party was poised to harvest more electoral victories and assets across the country premised on the sterling performance of its lone governor in Ondo State.

His words: “While we appreciate the fact that several groups and interests want the government in Ondo State to join them, we are happy that many are trooping, on a daily basis, into the Labour Party wanting to share in the ideals and philosophy of government for the good of the society as opposed to government for the elite.

“Being a party with social democratic credentials, the Labour Party government in Ondo State has not only delivered on its promises to the people but has made the welfare of the people its cardinal objective.

“That is why the Labour Party government of Olusegun Mimiko has changed the face of Ondo State in such diverse areas as agriculture, health, education, commerce, tourism and sports among others.

”While scoffing on the idea of LP merging with any other party, Oni said that with many people trooping into the party from such locations as Rivers, Cross Rivers, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, Nasarawa, Adamawa and the Federal Capital amonst others, wisdom and reality dictate that the party maintains its identity so as to remain a platform for those who are tired of the deceit and insincerity common in the other parties.”

While not ruling out useful collaboration for democracy and good governance, Oni however stated: “In maintaining our identity however, we are ready to collaborate with other well-meaning Nigerians and interests to totally free the country from the hold of those who seek power for the actualisation of narrow dreams instead of power for the good of the greatest number of people like the Labour Party.

“When Ondo was the only state where we had noticeable presence, we were not in any way daunted or afraid. Now that we have many joining us to rebuild the country through the platform of the party, we’ll be doing a disservice to ourselves and indeed our teeming admirers if we killed the party in the bid to form a bigger party.

The former minister while also counselling those who see mergers as the only way to get good governance delivered to the people opined that it does not really matter which political party one belongs “if our dreams, our goals and our focus is the people, then it will be only a matter of time before we all find a common ground from which we can advance the cause of the common man.”

He reiterated the disposition of the people of Ondo State to the social democratic path, more than the commitment of the party, a fact which he noted should make LP remain focused, steady and unwavering in the pursuit of the goals of running this country on the path of government for the good of all.

Said he: “Our people have been led in all political decisions that they have made, by the logic and the consistency of expressed ideals with their long-held ideal of a society that is free for the expression of opinions and ambitions by all, the minority and the majority alike.

“Since the emergence of the Mimiko-led Labour Party government in Ondo State, our party rather than shrink in number and character has waxed stronger, re-defined leadership and refocused itself on delivering the gains of democracy to the people of the country with Ondo State as the point of departure.”