Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
Chairman, Edo State chapter of the Labour Party (LP), Kelly Ogbaloi has said that the party will welcome and accept the embattled deputy governor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Philip Shaibu like every other individuals just as he said that the party is opened to all Nigerians who are interested in joining.
“If Philip Shaibu is coming to our party, he will not be coming as deputy governor, but as an individual like any other person.
” The party is opened to everyone in Nigeria. The doors are opened to anybody who wants to come in to contest election”, Ogbaloi said.
He disclosed this while briefing journalists at the party’s secretariat in Benin shortly after meeting with the party 2024 governorship aspirants in the state.
He said the party decided to meet with the aspirants having observed that the numbers of the aspirants are increasing on a daily basis.
He added that there is need for the party to bring them together in one fold to interact with them and tell them how best they can go about their sensitization towards their primary election.
He said there is need to also appreciate them for the manner they have conducted themselves so far.
On whether the labour party will take the advantage on the crisis between governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, Ogbaloi said his party needs a healthy opposition, adding that when you fight with a healthy man, the winning is more interesting and better.
“Because if you do not have value for your winning it gives the people the opportunity to be saying all kinds of things.
“We want our opponents to be strong in the game. It will be good for us”.
He further said that the party’s expectation is for all the aspirants to compete, although the number of aspirants will reduce during the period of picking the nomination forms, adding that at the end of the exercise, one person will be victorious in the primary.
“We want the Labour party to win the governorship election come 2024. And to win the election, we must have a candidate that will be generally acceptable to the people of Edo State’
On the forthcoming Local Government election, he said the party is prepared for the election, adding that no party will go into an election without preparation.