Ogun Labour Party faults Abiodun’s endorsement for second term

The Labour Party in Ogun State has faulted the endorsement of the state governor, Dapo Abiodun for second term.

The party said the governor was endorsed by suspended members of the party.

The party in the statement signed by the Publicity Secretary of the Caretaker Committee in the state, Tokunbo Peters, on Friday, described the endorsement as misleading.

Abiodun had been endorsed by the state chairman, Michael Ashade and the National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi who were said to have been suspended by the national leadership of the party.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission had excluded the name of the governorship candidate of the party in the state, Kehinde Sogunle due to a  court case.

But reacting to the endorsement of the governor who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, the party said Labour Party could not enter into any alliance with the APC in the state.

The statement read, “The purported endorsement is not only misleading but also a poor attempt at hoodwinking unsuspecting members of the public and the electorate into believing that the Labour Party is in alliance with the All Progressive Congress in Ogun state.

“For the records, the Ogun state branch of the Labour Party categorically disassociates itself from the purported endorsement of Prince Dapo Abiodun for second term and also unequivocally states that, even though overtures have been made to the Labour Party by the ruling party, the Labour Party is totally averse to any form of alliance with the APC.

“This is considering the fact that the APC government in the state lacks purposeful leadership.”

The statement emphasized that the party had suffered incalculable injustice by the non-listing of its candidate in the state elections and was pursuing redress to the systemic disenfranchisement through the court process.

“It is public knowledge that Engr Lookman Jagun is the defacto Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of Labour Party in Ogun state and that Michael Ashade who allegedly endorsed the governor has been suspended from the party long ago.

“While Michael Ashade and his cohorts are free to endorse and support any candidate of their choice in their individual capacity, they should refrain from using the name of the Labour Party when making such endorsements.

“Impersonation and deliberate misrepresentation are criminal offences,” the statement further stated.