An alliance mooted by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Labour Party (LP) is on the rocks following disagreement in their ranks in Ondo, Ekiti, and Edo where both parties had wanted to join forces in April.

The pact broke down after failed attempts by the ACN leadership to convince LP’s only Governor, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, to defect to the ACN.

It was learnt that Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, led the pressure for the LP to merge with the ACN, a mission the ACN leadership thought would be accomplished once Mimiko declared for the ACN.

The breakdown of the understanding made the ACN to field a candidate for Ekiti Central, against Ayodele Fayose, the LP candidate, contrary to an earlier deal on the basis of which Fayose worked for the success of Kayode Fayemi in the Governorship rerun vote.

In Edo, Oshiomhole reportedly abandoned the LP, and both the ACN and LP have gone their separate ways to field candidates for positions.

Both parties had signed an agreement on November 23, 2006 that Oshiomhole, then the LP candidate, should run on the platform of the ACN and other appointments were to be shared between the two parties.

However, sequel to Mimiko’s decision to remain in the LP, the ACN also decided that all political posts in Edo should be occupied only by ACN members.

Consequently, Oshiomhole reconstituted all councils, with the appointment of 18 Chairmen and 192 Councillors; without conceding even one to the LP.

Mimiko was said to have reported Oshiomhole to ACN leaders over alleged surreptitious moves to factionalise the LP at state and national levels.

The LP pointed at a group led by Sam Omede claiming to be a parallel executive in Edo, allegedly with the sympathy of Oshiomhole

Sources said the LP parallel executive was created by Oshiomhole, who sent his Energy and Water Resources Commissioner, Didi Adodo, a former state LP Secretary, to commission the factional LP secretariat on his behalf.

Adodo confirmed that it was Oshiomhole who asked him to commission the secretariat, adding that there is disagreement between Oshiomhole and the state LP.

He said the LP has also been sponsoring candidates in the areas where the ACN has candidates, and there is no way Oshiomhole could keep quiet about that.

LP National Chairman Dan Nwanyanwu declined to elaborate on the dispute, saying God is in control.

“May God help anyone who wants to create an imaginary faction in the Labour Party, anywhere, including Edo State, for whatever reason. God is greater than man, that is all I will say,” he said.

Edo LP Chairman John Ogbeide explained that while it was true that the LP and the ACN had worked together, things have since changed and the LP is fielding candidates for positions except that of Governor.

He said it is unfortunate that the LP is at the receiving end in Edo, but that he remains the authentic state Chairman and any other executive being facilitated by anyone has no leg to stand on.