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LP pledges development as PDP denies moving to APDA

By Seye Olumide
17 May 2017   |   4:11 am
The party dismissed the ‘change agenda’ programme of the APC as a mere charade that could not take the country or any of the states where it holds sway to the Promised Land.

The Lagos State chapter of Labour Party (LP) has urged electorate not to vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming council elections as it vows to transform the state if massively voted for in the exercise.

The party dismissed the ‘change agenda’ programme of the APC as a mere charade that could not take the country or any of the states where it holds sway to the Promised Land.

State’s chairman of the party, Pastor Biodun Popoola while speaking on the agenda of LP titled: ‘Where we stand: Labour Party Guide to the forthcoming July local government election manifesto’’ said the party has decided to tread a path completely different when compared to the seemingly struggling ‘change agenda’ of the APC government.

The LP chairman described the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration as a wind that blows no good and not sufficiently addressing the state’s multiple challenge. He posited that APC has created a leadership vacuum that cannot sufficiently meet the needs of the people.

Popoola said, “In the alternative LP is going offer the people of Lagos vast and great opportunities for their emancipation at the local government level.

Presenting the party’s manifesto it hopes to achieve right from the council level if its candidates were elected, Popoola said, “LP targeted increase in public spending at the local government, reducing the structural deficit in the local economy, address infrastructural imbalance, teacher education and training, impactful tutoring and curriculum inadequacy in our local schools.”

He added that the party will also aim to restore total free health at the local level and establish local health schemes to alleviate the financial capabilities of pulverized and impoverished Lagosian to access free medical assistance during emergencies and as well guarantee people aged 18-27 a job, work experience or training place if they are unemployed for more than one year through Small Scale Medium (SME) initiatives at the local levels of administration with programme collaboration and deliverance enhanced through private and voluntary sector providers

Other objectives the party aims to achieve include financial prudency at all levels and transparent spending with right of monitoring by the people governed, raising the threshold at which people start paying income tax for the unemployed and the vulnerable in the locally governed areas, provision of financial vote for schools with the poorest pupils and reconstitute the average primary school class sizes to be cut to 25, which means building more primary schools, setting up educational, health and security trust fund to channel public and private mandatory 1 per cent contribution annually into these funds

It further promised to publish online all items of spending in every local government and as well hold a referendum on adopting an alternative security system through the creation of a local security academy at all local government areas that puts the local citizenry in charge of their security with effective collaboration and supervision by public security agents and as well increase spending on social care over the next two years and institutionalize corporate cooperation while it also promises to build at least 1000 council flats annually in all local government areas at extremely cheap and affordable first come basis in an open and transparent manner

Lastly Popoola said LP would strengthen trade union rights, including increased participation in government policy making by workers. According to him, “These are guide that is exceptionally promulgated for better days to be back again in Lagos and in the country.”

Meanwhile, the leadership of the Lagos faction of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to Sen. Ahmed Makarfi Caretaker Committee has debunked the rumour of its defection to the Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance, (APDA).

In a statement yesterday, spokesman of the party, Taofik Gani said the party is with unequivocal support for the Makarfi-led committee and remains progressive members of the PDP with clear vision for its teeming supporters.

He said the aspirations of its members to contest in the council poll would be met even if it means allowing for a ‘make-shift’ platform pending the final decision on the party’s leadership tussle. This way, we can concentrate on plans for the polls and avoid the inconvenience of LASIEC rejecting our candidates’ list for want of unwarranted clarification.

He implores the electorates to disregard the falsehood obviously sponsored by the disillusioned and minority faction aimed at confusing the electorates, saying, “For sake of clarity, the option of using another platform to contest in the poll might eventually be inevitable but that has not been decided. Our preparations for the poll are well coordinated and purposeful for electoral victory.

“Our hopeful candidates have been motivated by their communities and we will listen to the communities as we elect the candidates. They are the persons who can on their own guide their communities on eventual decisions even at the last minute. They will be at liberty to activate their fundamental Rights to Association and freedom of Expression as convenient, realistic and expedient.”

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