Labour Party’s spokesman in Anambra, Theo Egbe, says the party will not participate in the September 28 council polls.

Mr Egbe said the party would also challenge the electioneering process in court over its alleged inability to abide by the electoral guidelines.

Mr Egbe said this in an interview in Awka on Thursday.

“Labour Party will not play alongside the identified irregularities which is the inability to follow provisions of the Electoral Act when conducting council polls. The state’s template for the proposed election should be in line with the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) guidelines for conducting elections,” he said.

Mr Egbe said areas in the amended act, which regulated conduct and management of political parties, party disputes and collation, were worrisome, and these, among others, were reasons why the party would  boycott the election.

He urged the government to reschedule the election to comply with INEC election standards, which required providing a level playing field for all contestants.

The politician alleged that the party’s state office was sealed on August  27 without prior notice or notice of the offence committed by the party.

Mr Egbe alleged further that suspected agents of the state government sealed off the party offices located at the Udoka Housing Estate in Awka.

However, he appealed to LP members, supporters, sympathisers, stakeholders, and Anambra people not to take laws into their own hands.

Governor Charles Soludo’s political aide, Alex Obiogbolu, refuted the Labour Party’s claims on sealing the party offices.

Mr Obiogbolu said the matter was a case between the state housing corporation and the landlord of the place, having nothing to do with the state government.

He advised the party to excuse the Anambra government and address its challenges instead of heaping blame on the state government.

(NAN)