Edo Poll: LP Repositions Party for Victory, Trains Wards, LG’s Executives

*Imasuagbon urges all parties to field candidates from the Edo Central Senatorial Zone

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Ahead of the Edo 2024 governorship election, the Labour Party, (LP) in the state has commenced a capacity building program for Wards and Local Government Areas’ executives aimed at strengthening and repositioning the party for victory.  
The first Train-The-Trainers program held yesterday for Edo South Senatorial district at the Imperial Event Centre, Benin City, Edo State, had in attendance party leaders from the seven Local Government Areas in Edo South.  

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour party, Obiora Ifoh, said that the national chairman of the party, Barrister Julius Abure, who declared open the program, also expressed optimism that Labour Party remains the only political party that can rescue the nation and Edo State from bad governance.    
According to Abure, “The intention of the program is to build the capacity of our local governments and ward executives in terms of what they are expected to do during an election. It is intended to develop and build their capacity for the Edo 2024 governorship election.

“Labour party believes that elections are won and lost at the ward or local governments level depending on the action and inaction of members. This also underscores the importance to build capacity of our local government and ward officers being trained in the trainer workshop, they are supposed to replicate the training in their various local government and wards.
“We believe strongly that we are the only party that has the answers to the socio-economic challenges of the state and the nation. The high level of infrastructural decay, poverty, hunger and unemployment is unimaginable and it is the Labour Party that has the ideology to change this trajectory and reposition the country for greatness.

“Therefore, Edo is looking up to our party to do the needful by giving them the right candidate that can defend their votes. Our main objective today in Edo is how to win the election with the right candidate that has the capacity to win.”
He noted that the same training will also be held in the other senatorial districts as a way of focusing the party for victory come 2024.
Meanwhile, a governorship aspirant, Kenneth Imasuagbon has called on political parties in Edo State to field candidates from Edo Central to ensure fairness, equity and justice as the region was yet to rule the state since 1999, save for the truncated 18 months reign of Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor removed by a court.
He said, “I hear people talking about Edo South having the capacity to win the election but I ask where is the place of fairness, equity and justice in our politics? Edo Central should be given the opportunity to rule the state this time.
“The narratives have changed and whoever wins must have done a lot of work during the campaigns. However, Edo Central should be given a chance in the state.”

He said political leaders can longer take for granted the power of the electorate as the days of queuing behind a favoured candidate was over adding that political parties now know that they need to field their best if they intend to win an election.
Imasuagbon pointed out that the last election, which saw many notable political leaders including President Bola Tinubu losing their states to opposition parties was an eye opener to political leaders and aspirants, stressing that many voters are now aware of the power they have in deciding the fate of the country.
“The people are the ones to decide who the party will present for election. The last election has shown that the right candidates must be fielded by political parties if they hope to win elections.

“Gone are the days when political leaders would present, back candidates and instruct party faithful to queue behind them. The right candidate must be presented or parties risk losing elections”, he stated.