The Labour Party has cried out to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its missing logo on the ballot papers to be used for Senatorial and House of Representatives elections in Lagos and Ondo states.
This is as the party called on the electoral commission to postpone the February 25th National Assembly elections in the affected areas.
It was gathered that in Ondo state, LP’s logo is missing in the Ondo Central Senatorial District and five House of Representative seats.
The House of Representatives seats where the logo was missing are Akoko Southwest/Akoko Southeast, Ondo East/Ondo West, Akure North/Akure South, Okitipupa/Irele and Ese-Odo/ Ilaje.
Ondo LP Secretary, Abiodun Agbaje, in a statement issued on Friday wondered why the party’s logo was missing despite the fact that they sent names of their candidates to INEC.
The statement reads, “Our representative went to INEC for sorting out for electoral materials to be sent to various wards. LP logo was missing for the Senatorial and House of Representatives where we have candidates. INEC should give us opportunity to participate or postpone the election.
“Our candidates should be given opportunity to exercise their rights. We are here to express our displeasure. We expect INEC to do the needful. It was a deliberate act. I do not think if any agency of government supercede the judiciary that gave us judgment.
“Our party primary was conducted across the federation. INEC acknowledged the letter from our party in October last year. You cannot vote without logo of the party.
“Logo of the party appeared in Ondo North. Our candidates were not initially uploaded on the portal on the fault of INEC and not the party. Names of all the candidates were forwarded to INEC.”
Also, Pastor Dayo Ekong, the LP Chairperson in Lagos State, at a news conference in Ikeja, called in INEC to reschedule the election until the party’s candidates were included on the ballots.
Ekong called out INEC to either correct what she described as anomaly or reschedule the National Assembly elections.
“This malicious “error” was found out this morning in Lagos, by me and my team of executive members during the routine inspection of election materials.
“It was at inspection that it was discovered that Labour Party was not listed for the election for Senate and House of Representatives in Lagos State. This is unacceptable and a wicked way of disenfranchising Lagos electorates.
“It is unimaginable that for the elections slated for Saturday Feb. 25, Lagos electorate will only vote for the Labour Party Presidential Candidate as INEC made no provision for the election of Party’s Senate and House of Representatives candidates.
“We cannot accept this as we do not believe that INEC made a mistake but rather, a deliberate, malicious and intentional act by INEC at disenfranchising our Supporters from exercising their civic rights which is unacceptable,” Ekong said.
