By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), in Delta State has mocked Peter Obi’s Labour Party over what it termed as attention seeking protest ahead of the July 13, 2024, local government council elections.

The Labour Party had on Monday July 8, 2024, embarked on a protest to the Headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force, Okpanam Road, the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), among other demands for a free and fair conduct of the council elections and the announcement of results at polling units.

In a swift reaction, a release on same day, Monday 8, 2924, the PDP took a swipe on the Labour Party, challenging the party to deploy its lean resources into a vigorous campaigns to tell Deltans what its candidates have to offer rather than divert attention.

The statement signed by the State Secretary of PDP, Engr. Dan Ossai, rather invited the protesting Labour Party to its Wednesday July 10, Mega Rally holding at Cenotaph.

According to the release, the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has received reports of a Protest March by the Labour Party in the State Capital, Asaba, today, Monday, July 8, 2024, where the Party’s spokespersons tabled a list of demands and grievances ahead of the July 13, Delta State Local Government Elections, including the conduct of free and fair elections and the announcement of results at polling units.

“These demands were tabled before the State Commissioner of Police, the State Chairman of Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) and the DSS.

“We are indeed amazed that while the PDP has been fully busy, meticulously fulfilling all the electoral processes and organizing comprehensive, colourful and carnival-like campaigns rallies with massive turn-outs across all the Local Governments in the State, in adherence to the stipulated timelines of the timetable for the Local Government election released by DSIEC, the Labour Party has instead, decided to muster and channel its energies and lean resources into organizing a protest march to complain about the conduct of an election that they are glaringly unprepared for and are not even ready or equipped to fully participate in.

“Delta PDP has always embarked on broad-based, robust, all encompassing and all inclusive rallies, as well as mop-up, door-door mosquito campaigns ahead of every election, while the opposition has often busied itself with complaints and protests instead of campaigning to Deltans and selling their candidates and manifestos to the people, thus, this Labour Party protest is a mere diversionary and digressive smokescreen to seek visibility and some sort of optical relevance, which is absolutely tangential, immaterial, insignificant and of no consequence whatsoever to the conduct and outcome of the election.

“It is the people who will vote; the same people that have turned up enmasse for our campaign rallies in all Local Governments and Wards since campaigns commenced, while the opposition, which has failed woefully to organize even the modicum of a serious, proper and robust campaign rally, is rather busy marching up and down in protest and crying wolf where none exist.

“We are therefore inviting the Labour Party and indeed all other opposition parties, to our Mega Campaign Rally on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, to witness the overwhelming turn out of joyful, happy and excited Deltans from all the three Senatorial Districts in the State, as we hold the grand finale of our campaign for the forthcoming July 13 Council Election and once again consolidate our claim and declaration that Delta is PDP and PDP is Delta”, the release, added.