The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Barr Julius Abure, has declared that all supporters of the party will serve as agents on the days of the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
Speaking during a press conference on the forthcoming presidential election on Saturday, February 25, Abure said Nigerians should know that all the support they have given to the Labour Party will amount to nothing if they do not come out to vote and defend the votes.
“I want to say clearly that all supporters of the Labour Party and Peter Obi must realise that they are all agents of the party,” Abure said while urging his party supporters to defend their votes.
“The responsibility to defend our votes, the responsibility to act as agents should not be left in the hands of accredited party agents alone. If you are a supporter of Peter Obi, if you are a supporter of any of the candidates of the Labour Party, if you are a supporter of the party, you must therefore be an agent for the party on that day of the election.
“I will, therefore, expect that you will not only go to the polling booth to cast your vote but have a responsibility to also defend your votes. We appeal to you to vote, be on standby, keep an eye on INEC officials, keep an eye on security agencies, keep an eye even on the accredited party agents so that you can provide checks and balances on whatever is being done.
“You have the responsibility to question any activity that you find will compromise the processes of this election. I am therefore saying that all our supporters are polling unit agents. In order, you are one of our ambassadors, you are one of those who will help us to stand and defend our votes,” Abure said.
Speaking further, Abure said the election offers an opportunity for Nigerians to bring real change to the country.
“We have never had this opportunity where the activities of a political party, the activities of an individual candidate is driven by the people. This is the very first time that the people will be having a say, this is the very first time that people will be having a voice. I want to urge you that we must not allow this opportunity to elude us. We must take our destiny in our hands realising the fact that opportunity lost can never be recovered.
“Nigerians must rise to the occasion. Our own supporters must rise to the occasion and ensure that their dream of having a new Nigeria, a Nigeria that guarantees security, a Nigeria that has service delivery to its people, a Nigeria that will be free from poverty, from hunger, from unemployment.
“A Nigeria that will be free from the paradox of where you have crude oil yet you import petroleum products, pay subsidies and all the attendant costs. A Nigeria that truly will be in tandem with the mission and vision of the founding fathers of Nigeria,” Abure said while giving a vote of confidence on INEC chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu.
“We have confidence in INEC led by Prof. Mahoud Yakubu. We have confidence that INEC will do the right thing. I therefore want to use this opportunity to appeal to INEC that the standard they have laid, the integrity they have built over the years, must crystalize it by their activities in this election. They must be patriotic and put the interest of the country first and beyond every other interest. They must avoid the temptation of allowing this election to be compromised.
“I must also commend all the international observers that have interfaced with me personally, with our party and with our candidate and have assured us that they will observe the election and do the right thing,” Abure added.
