Chief Patrick Osagie Eholor, a human rights activist and Director of Contact and Mobilisation of the Labour Party (LP) in the Diaspora, has called for a look into the activities of some members of the party especially in Edo State who in recent times have been making donations of huge sums of money and vehicles to the party.
The party chieftain said that he is a businessman and if he is to invest large sums of money in the LP he will dictate the tune of the things the party must do.
“I have been supporting the party. What I am doing now, calling for Congress is that not support? As regards financial support you have to be guided because he who pays the piper dictates the tune. The reason that corruption is prevalent in political parties is because somebody like me who people think is wealthy if I give you N100million I will have to control everything about your life.
“N100million is a lot of money. I am not willing to give LP any money. But I am willing to support them to ensure that we mobilize a lot of people to the party to win election. As a matter of fact there also have to be a limit in financial contribution to political parties.
“Those giving buses, donating millions what they’re doing is illegal. A time will come I will challenge them. We’re not People’s Democratic Party (PDP) or All Progressives Congress (APC). We’re not selling the party. When the Obidatti or Obidients came onboard when we do rallies we donate money among ourselves. When we did the Endsars we donated money among ourselves to support ourselves. We don’t have any money to give to any state or national chairman. I will not encourage this.”
Going further, Eholor said,”I don’t have any stolen money that I am going to give to them. That’s why most of them are going to meet other party chieftains in the PDP like the SSG(Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie), the governor (Godwin Obaseki), so that they can bring their moles into the party (LP). That’s what I am discouraging.”
Eholor stressed,”those donating money to the LP anyhow we should look into their source of income. We should look into their tax records. If they have been paying taxes. That’s what we are going to do.”
He insisted that for the LP to win the gubernatorial poll in Edo State next year the party must go through the process of Congress before conducting primaries. He said that the present executive officials of the party have stayed beyond the time guaranteed them in the constitution as they have “0extended their stay in office by going to Asaba to extend their tenure for a year which is unconstitutional.”
On the deplorable state of the Benin – Sapele Road, Chief Eholor called for a picketing of the airports as that’s the only way the attention of foreign visitors/travellers can be called to the situation.
“The issue is that we are not doing enough as a people. I believe that it is time for all citizens to become patriotic. We need to be. For example, Israelites have all become soldiers to defend themselves against the Palestines.”
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