PDP’s federal lawmaker joins ZLP …As party threatens to sue APC over mode of primary

A serving House of Representative member on the platform of the People Democratic Party (PDP) Hon. Joseph Adelaja, has announced his decision to join a newly registered Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) as soon as the National Assembly resume from from the current break.

Hon. Adelaja also revealed that the former Ondo state governor Olusegun Mimiko will soon join the ZLP.

Speaking with newsmen yesterday in Abuja during the unveiling of Zenith Labour Party, as a registered political party, the lawmaker said it is a coming together as a family to rescue the nation.

He said that ZLP is a party that has social democratic ethos, which has large consideration for people with disabilities, women and youths. He said that the party is poised to rescue the country from hunger and poverty.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the ZLT has threatened to sue the All Progressives Congress (APC) for adopting both direct and indirect mode of primary election.

The APC had adopted both direct and indirect mode of primary elections and also instructed its state executives to chose the modality that will be suitable for them and communicate same to the Nations Secretariat.

But quoting section 83 of the electoral act, the National Chairman of Zenith Labour Party, Barr. Dan Nwanyanwu said that the APC breeched the law by using both direct and indirect primary’s for their candidates nomination process. He said that the electoral act stated that a party can use direct or indirect primary election process and not both, adding that by adopting both procedures, the party has breeched the electoral act.

“Three political parties wanted to use direct and indirect primary’s and it is against the law. Section 87(3) says that for direct primary all candidates must be given equal opportunity. For the indirect, the act went further to state the criteria

“But the party that is ruling us, the APC is using both. Our lawyers are already waiting. You cannot use both legal and illegal primary’s, it is unconstitutional and illegal. We must obey the law.”

Nwanwanyamwu stated that ZLP is monitoring the activities of the ruling party, adding that if the party dies not reverse it decisions before the 9th of October, then ZLP will have no option that to drag them before the law.

ZNL also argued that APC went as far as allowing the state executives, an entity unknown to the electoral act to take decisions on behalf of the party, a development he described as an anomaly.

“We are breaking laws everyday even as it affects other political parties. This is why zenith party will challenge it in the court” Nwanyanwu emphasised.

The party leader described the just concludes Osun governorship election as a charade and a mockery if democratic process.

He said, “Osun state election unfortunately, in just seven polling units yesterday brought out the ugly side of our political culture. There was the use of government apparatus to subvert the will of the people. What could have been a plus to INEC ended up as a disaster. This is not only shameful for Nigeria but also for the international observers which has condemned it in a joint press conference.”

He urged the President to urgently accent to the electoral act, which will lead to implementing the full electronic voting system. He said that the act will end ballot boxes, declaration of public holidays for voting purposes, snatching of ballot boxes, heavy deployment of security agents and cost of running elections will be reduce drastically.

“Our fear is that Nigerian may not survive the cost of those who want to take power at all cost and by those who want to retain power at all cost.

“What happened yesterday was not only a charade, the perfidy should not be accepted by the Osun people, what happened in Osun yesterday is a shame.”

Present at the event were former Secretary of Labour Party, Barr. Kayode Ajulo, Civil Society Activist Ariyo Atoye, Alhaji Umaru Aliyu who is the party’s Gov. Aspirant, Nassarawa. Mallam Mainasara, Deputy National Chairman North
Isa Mohammed Abuja, Chairman, FCT chapter among others

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