By Dapo Akinrefon

Dr Kayode Ajulo is the National Secretary of Labour Party, LP. In this interview, Ajulo debunks claims that the party is engulfed in leadership crisis. He bares his mind on other burning issues. Excerpts:

•Ajulo: Our party is well prepared for 2015

What is the story behind the reported crisis rocking the Labour Party?

Let me state unequivocally that there is no crisis whatsoever in Labour Party. We are intact, the leadership cohesion is solid and very strong.

Recall that in October last year LP had a duly conveyed National Convention in Akure under the leadership of the former Chairman who spent 11 years in the saddle. At the convention the new leadership emerged wherein Comrade Alhaji A. A. Salam, Baraden Paiko emerged the new National Chairman, I National Secretary and a host of others were elected. The election was monitored by the INEC and other security and regulatory agencies of government to ensure that all statutory conditions and INEC regulations were met. Just last Tuesday once again INEC confirmed the leadership of LP to the police.

But how true is it that some chieftains of the party are no longer comfortable with the party leadership?

This is not only untrue but also strange as no allegation has been brought against anyone.

The modus operandi of the party is well spelt out in our constitution and I am yet to hear or read anywhere issues bothering on the violation of our constitution.

The story behind the so called crisis is not unconnected. This in my view with the good development of the resurfacing of the certificate of registration of the party which was initially declared missing.

This is a certificate that issues have been on for years. There has been questions on who should have the custody of the certificate but it is clear that a mere hood will never make a monk, I am a lawyer and your taking possession of my law degree certificates will never make you a lawyer except you fulfill all the necessary steps to become a lawyer.

There’s no controversy on our relationship with NLC, we are workers party, Nigerian workers need us as we need Nigerian workers therefore it is expected that we have cordial relationship with Organized labour spearheaded by NLC and  TUC.

Would you agree that it was a move to flush out loyalists of Governor Segun Mimiko from the party?

Mimiko loyalists? The man left the party last year with his entire people.

What informed the decision of the former chairman, Mr Dan Nwanyanwu to hand over the party’s certificate to the NLC leadership?

I am not the former chairman and not in position to know what informed his decision. It is all about politics and interest. It may even be some form of restitution on his part. Who knows he may have wanted to highlight the party connection and refresh the partys relationship with NLC to the Nigerian populace. But sincerely I did not know for sure what really informed his decision but whatsoever it may be, at least today we know where the certificate is, we know who to demand the certificate from as the certificate was missing and now found.

Do you think the party would recover from this crisis?

I think I need to restate this, Labour Party is not in crisis, any conjecture of any crisis is within the imagination of mischievous people. We are in constant contact with the leadership of NLC and TUC. Last Tuesdays yesterday the Commissioner of Police read the letter from INEC confirming our leadership to all parties present after which we had a group photograph. You see election is coming up in some states and as expected from some politicians, this is the season to run one another  down starting from any platform/party they consider viable.

Labour Party‘s fortune is increasing we are waxing stronger and today in Nigeria politics. We are a force to reckon with.

As such it is in the imagination of some people to introduce crisis to wreck the boat which by Gods grace is impossible under the current leadership of the party as confirmed by INEC.