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The Labour Party (LP) in Abia State has pulled out from the planned Abia local government election which is slated to hold on the 19th of May, by the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), led by Mkpa Agu Mkpa, a former Education commissioner in the state.
In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Jerry Njoku which was made available to The Eastern Updates on Tuesday, LP alleged that the leadership of ABSIEC has already concluded plans to use local government workers to rig the poll.
The LP claimed that there was an existing court order at the Abia State High Court against the election and accused the ABSIEC chairman of being desperate to please his employer and members of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government.
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Describing the local government election as a waste of the state resources, Abia LP wondered why the state government would want to organise a council election when it owed some workers up to three months’ salary.
LP in the statement said: ‘We are also aware of the attempt by Abia State Local Government Workers Union to illegally conduct the Local Government Workers Staff Union election before the handing over date of 29th May, 2023 even before the expiration of their tenure, which is statutorily fixed for September 2023.
‘More so, I have come across political advertisement for the local government elections on the social media platforms by individuals who I will consider as ‘unfortunate’ to allow themselves to be misguided by paid sycophants and stooges of the outgoing PDP government of Abia State.
‘For the benefit of doubt; there is an existing court injunction that has restrained ABSIEC from conducting any council election, pending the determination of the motion on notice with suit No. HAR/8/2023 of Abia High Court.
‘Therefore, Labour Party, Abia, after deliberations by members of her State Working Committee (SWC) on the 9th May 2023 has resolved not to participate in the forthcoming local government elections scheduled to take place on May 19, 2023.
‘As a law-abiding party, we owe the people of Abia State a moral obligation to lead by example in discipline, principle, responsibility, and accountability.
