My Agitation Is How To Build Labour Party From Strach To Top – Dr. Okundaye

…says he was part of the Movement for the creation of Edo State

By Simeon OSAJIE

A chieftain of the Edo State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) Dr. Kingsley Oghogho Okundaye has said that his agitation is how to build the party from strach to top.

Dr. Okungaye stated this during his visitation to the Edo State secretariat of the party in Benin City, Edo State capital when he  met with some leaders and executive of the party on how the party structure can be rebuilt and be considered relevance in the State and at the National levels.

While addressing some state  leaders and executive  of the party barely  few hours after visiting his base,ward 6 of the party  Dr. Okundaye stated that with his wealth of experience as regard the role he played during the agitation for the creation of Edo State, he has decided to embark on getting to know the base and  getting to know the party structure. 

According to Dr. Kingsley Okundaye, “During the agitation for the creation of Edo State, l can vividly remember I played a part in the Edo State Movement. It was a movement and organization that agitated for the creation of Edo State. I was one of those people that played very little role in this agitation. I was a member of the State Movement and anybody who knows how Edo State was created would know that there was an organization called ‘Edo State Movement’ which was an umbrella that agitated for the creation of Edo State.

“Before Edo State Movement, the agitation for Anioma State was already on; the agitation for Delta State was already on, and there was no former agitation for the creation of Edo State and that was what necessitated the creation of Edo State Movement and people like Senator Odion Ugbesia played vital role in that Movement. And l’m glad to have been associated with somebody like Senator Odion Ugbesia and he was the secretary at that time of the Movement.”

Going further, the chieftain of Edo State Labour Party opined that he has being involved in the affairs and the growth of Labour Party in Edo State over the years 

“I have being involved in the affairs and the growth of labour party in Edo State, but many of the leaders l have not meant officially and is just a practice and it is something that is necessarily, and l think going forward would do more of this, because we want to create some kind of exposure that is necessarily in understanding that, that is a need for us to build the party from the bottom to the top.

“Just recently  (19th May, 2023), l was at the ward level of the party and today I’m at the State level and those are the biggest in terms of the party structure that need to be supported so that the party can retain the past glory. When l says the past glory, we all know what transpired during the presidential election.

“Our desire; my desire specifically is to ensure the party is put back in that position where the party can as compete favourably and be considered relevance in the State and at the National levels.

“My desire is to build the party from the Ward to the State levels and contribute my little quota in ensuring that Labour Party continues to be a party of relevance in this country,” he assured.

In his response, the state chairman of the party, Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi appreciated the immense contributions of  Dr. Kingsley Oghogho Okundaye towards the growth of the party.

“Let me thank Dr. Kingsley Oghogho Okundaye for coming to us, we appreciate you. We have a record of some of the good things you have done to our great party. We are aware that sometime when the party was going through some challenges, I am aware to be specific that something was sent specifically to the state secretariat of the party. I am here to, on behalf of the party formally thank you for that initiative, Labour Party is grateful to you. The National Chairman of this party took note of that which you had done for this party. We are indeed very grateful.

“Your coming now has exposed again some of the few things you have done for our party – your party, like the acquisition of Oredo Ward 6 secretariat of our great party. We are indeed very grateful to you. By that singular act, you add yourself to the number of persons we would show very important recognition.

“The initiative is perfect because for me nobody becomes a member of political  party except of course you start that membership from base, which your unit, your ward and all the rest of it, and that is what you have advanced by ensure that some of the needs of the ward and maintained. We want to thank you very much,” he concluded.