By Meletus EZE
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State says INEC should not involve the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the movement of electoral materials during the February and March polls.
The state Chairman of the party, Dr Adegbola Dominic, expressed the position on Thursday at the party’s General Assembly in Lagos.
He said the NURTW had openly aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and that the union would surely protect the interests of the ruling party in the February and March elections.
Dominic said a recently held rally of the APC clearly revealed members of the NURTW and its leadership pledging allegiance to the APC.
He said the action of the transport union members clearly showed they were partisan and that they would work to ensure the victory of APC in the elections.
“The Lagos State PDP condemn and reject in totality the announced agreement between the INEC and NURTW with respect to transportation and delivery of election materials before and during the polls.
“We hinge our rejection on the admission and confession of the Lagos APC spokesman, Mr Joe Igbokwe, that officers and members of the NURTW are card carrying members of the APC.
“The viral videos and pictures confirming notorious NURTW officers and members support for APC in Ekiti, Osun and Kwara states and the rally in Lagos shows the union is clearly partisan.
“Consequently, we declare that the NURTW cannot be fair in the distribution and delivery of election materials to all voting centres especially where PDP voters dominate.
‘”We seek that INEC should terminate the agreement and seek collaboration elsewhere,” he said.
Dominic condemned the violence in the recently held rally of the APC, saying the incident threatened democracy and safety of residents.
He said the PDP was not disappointed at the mayhem, claiming violence had been the stock-in-trade of the APC.
The party Chairman urged security agencies to provide security at campaign gatherings to avert what he called the loss of lives and valuables that characterised the APC rally.
The party chairman said the APC had failed Lagos residents and that there was the need for electorates in the state to vote out the ruling party in the general elections.
TBI Africa said the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that prominent PDP members at the assembly included a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George as well as the Publicity Secretary, Mr Taofik Gani.
NAN reports that party members freely interacted with the executive and elders of the parry, on how to ensure electoral victory for the party in the state at the assembly.
