Cross River State: Labour Party denies any alliance with APC, others

By Sixtus Uket (Calabar)

Cross River State Chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has denied having any alliance with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State for the  March 11 Governorship Election in the State.

The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Dr Lekam Ofem, made this known in a statement issued Monday in Calabar, the State capital.

The statement was in reaction to the claim by the State Chairman of APC, Barr. Alphonsus Eba that his party has formed alliance with the LP for the March 11 Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the State.

“Our attention has been drawn to the statement issued by the APC leadership to the effect that LP had collapsed its structure for APC,” Dr. Ofem said,

insisting that his party had no alliance with APC or any other political party.

He explained that LP had a governorship candidate in the state in person of Mr. Ogar Osim, who was very much in the race.

“The endorsement of LP’s candidate for Yala State Constituency I has no affiliation with APC in Cross River and LP in the state has completely dissociated itself from such an arrangement.

“We understand that LP’s outstanding performance during the presidential election where it won in Cross River, including Yala LGA which is the primary constituency of the APC state chairman, has placed the party as a threat.

“We, therefore, urge our teeming supporters to remain calm and disregard any rumour in the social media that is not endorsed by the leadership of the party in the state,” the State LP Publicity Secretary stated.

The State Chairman of APC, Mr. Alphonsus Eba, had, at a Press Conference on Monday in Calabar, announced the party’s decision to endorse and adopt LP candidate for Yala State Constituency I, Brian Odey.

He explained that the adoption of the LP candidate followed the Supreme Court judgment nullifying the candidacy of Mrs. Regina Anyogo who was the candidate of APC.

The APC State Chairman also said that the alliance was to ensure that supporters of LP reciprocated the gesture by voting for the APC governorship candidate, Senator Bassey Otu, in the March 11 Governorship and House of Assembly elections.