The Labour Party (LP) has affirmed its involvement in the freshly established coalition of opposition parties, which emerged this week in a bid to fortify the nation’s democratic framework.
Dubbed the “Coalition of Concerned Political Parties,” this alliance comprising seven opposition entities convened in Abuja at the Social Democratic Party’s National Secretariat to solidify their partnership. Notably, the Labour Party’s name was absent from the initial list of members, raising some eyebrows within political circles.
However, Umar Farouk, the National Secretary of the Labour Party, clarified that the party’s leadership was duly informed about the coalition’s formation. He highlighted, “The LP is part and parcel of the coalition. We were informed, but unfortunately, our representatives were unable to attend the session. Nevertheless, we stand united with them.”
Echoing this sentiment, Yunusa Tanko, the chief spokesman of the Labour Party, emphasized the coalition’s objective: defending democratic principles and preventing the country’s descent into a single-party dominance. Tanko stressed ongoing discussions between the LP, PDP, NNPP, among others, aiming to unify their stance in preserving democracy.
Contrarily, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) downplayed the significance of this opposition coalition. Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, expressed nonchalance, stating that while the opposition exercised their democratic rights, the ruling party remained unworried by the development.