Victor Afam Ogene, the leader of the Labour Party (LP), caucus in the 10th National Assembly and the representative-elect for the Ogbaru Federal Constituency, has stated that his party is willing to cooperate with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP if the latter were to take control of the nation’s visible opposition.
However, Ogene cautioned the PDP that if it remained on the “audio side” and continued to be an opposition party in name only, the Labour Party would lead the charge on behalf of the Nigerian people to establish a new nation.
He made the statement during the PDP elected leaders’ one-day retreat in Bauchi State.
The ceremony was prominently attended by a number of MPs from the opposing minority parties, including the Young Progressives Party, Labour Party, and others.
Ogene claimed that if it weren’t for the PDP’s errors, the 35 members-elect the LP generated for the next 10th Assembly would not have been conceivable.
According to him-
“Let me thank the PDP, it is because of you we are here. If PDP didn’t make the mistakes it made, probably the 35 strong members-elect of the Labour Party in the forthcoming 10th Assembly wouldn’t have been. So thank you.
“I also want to say another thank you for bringing us to this retreat. My members and I thought we were coming for the retreat of the minority parties, which is actually what it’s supposed to be.
“I think what’s binding us together is the fact that we are all in the opposition. And being in the opposition doesn’t necessarily mean dissent, it means keeping the governing party on its toes.
“Talking about the House of Representatives, section 50 1B of the constitution says that members are to choose the Speaker and Deputy Speaker from among themselves. Even though that function is yet to be discharged, some people have chosen Speaker and Deputy Speaker for us, and we are watching.
“There’s an audio opposition and there’s visible opposition. If PDP is ready to lead the charge of visible opposition, we are ready to go along with them. But if they want to stay on the audio side and be an opposition party in name, then I can assure you that the Labour Party, just as small as we are, with 35 members-elect, will lead the charge on behalf of the Nigerian people to create a new Nigeria.”
cc: Daily Post Ng
