The Labour Party on Wednesday denied alleged One-Million-Man-March planned protest by the party to “violently overthrow the Bola Tinubu administration”.
Ken Asogwa, Senior Special Adviser, Media, to the Interim National Chairman of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman, made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to him, the attention of the Labour Party has been drawn to a malicious petition addressed to the National Security Adviser, allegedly authored by one Abayomi Arabambi, who parades himself as the spokesman of the party.
“In the said petition, Arabambi accused prominent leaders of the Labour Party, including Mr Peter Obi, Comrade Joe Ajaero, Senator Victor Umeh of planning the protest.
“Others he listed include, Prof. Theophilius Ndubuaku, and Dr Yunusa Tanko, of plotting a violent overthrow of the Bola Tinubu administration under the guise of organising a “One Million Man March”.
“He further alleged that the said protest, scheduled for today, July 30, is aimed at reclaiming the former national secretariat of the party currently occupied by the erstwhile chairman, Julius Abure, at Utako, Abuja.
“Let it be stated unequivocally: the leadership of the Labour Party is not aware of any planned protest anywhere in Nigeria under the auspices of the party.
“We have neither authorised nor sanctioned any individual or group to march on the streets in the name of reclaiming a property the party has long abandoned,” the statement read.
Asogwa said as a law-abiding political party, following the Supreme Court’s ruling of April 4 which affirmed Sen.Nenadi Usman’s leadership, the party had formally notified relevant law enforcement agencies to enforce the judgement.
“Regrettably, the inertia of these agencies forced the party to relocate to a new and more secure location. Since then, the party has moved on, fully focused on its core mission.
“It is, therefore, laughable and deeply suspicious for anyone to insinuate that the Labour Party intends to forcibly reclaim a building it no longer uses.
“What is, however, more alarming is the fictitious and irresponsible allegation of a planned coup d’état against the Tinubu administration – a claim suspiciously lumped with this so-called One Million Man March.
“How an alleged protest to reclaim a party office translates to a violent toppling of a sitting government beats the imagination of any right-thinking Nigerian.”
Asogwa said it was a “reckless lie” and desperate attempt to frame up respected leaders of the Labour Party in a phoney plot to destabilise the nation.
He added that it was a throwback to a dark era when individuals were roped into phantom coup plots simply for opposing the government of the day.
“We are already aware that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have begun harassing key party officials on the strength of this concocted tale. We warn that this path is a slippery slope that endangers our democracy.
“The Labour Party therefore calls on all security agencies to thoroughly investigate this malicious petition and unmask the true faces behind this sinister agenda to heat up the polity through deceit, misinformation, and fear.
“We remain committed to the rule of law and democratic principles, and we urge the Nigerian people to see through this poorly scripted political drama for what it truly is – an act of cowardice and desperation.”