Labour Party rejects YPP defector over corruption allegations

The Nasarawa State chapter of the Labour Party has turned down the move by the suspended State Chairman of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Bishop Namo, to cross over into its fold.

How it happened: The Labour Party's decision to shut its door on Namo was predicated on the corruption allegations hanging around his neck.

It was gathered that Namo had been suspended by the leadership of the YPP for allegedly taking bribe from a desperate politician to illegally substitute the name of one John Mark, the party’s candidate for the Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/Wamba Federal Constituency, in the 2023 general election, The Punch reports.

It's believed that the suspension handed over to him by the YPP could have be the reason Namo decided to pledge his allegiance to the Labour Party on September 21, 2022, claiming he had been received into the party's fold.

Labour rejects defection: However, the Nasarawa State chairman of Labour party, Alexander Emmanuel, said during a press conference in Lafia on Sunday, that Namo won't be accommodated in the party until he cleared his name regarding the allegations leveled against him in the YPP.

Emmanuel's word: “Labour party is a peaceful-loving political party. Our members here in Nasarawa state are known as peaceful people because we do not like trouble.

“We heard that Bishop Namo was suspended by the YPP over some corruption allegations. We do not know if they are true or false at the moment, but we will only accept him into the Labour party when we are sure that he is innocent of the allegations.

“On September 21, so many people called me on phone and said they read on social media that Namo has joined the Labour Party and I told them that the information was not true because none of LP’s electoral ward or local government chairmen across the state has intimated me about such development. So, the general public should disregard that information because it is not correct.”

Labour and 2023: While commenting on Labour Party's chances in the 2023 general elections, the state Chairman declared the party's readiness to take-over power both at the federal and state levels, adding that Nigerians were tired of the current situation and are ready to vote out corrupt politicians with their voter cards.

Emmanuel's word: “It is a known fact that Nigerians are tired of bad governance in the country, and we are all going to use our PVC’s to vote out bad and corrupt political leaders in 2023. So, I am optimistic that candidates of the Labour party will emerge victorious in the coming elections.”