By 
Few days to the 2023 Governorship and House of Assembly elections, one of the major political parties in Nigeria, Labour Party (LP) has announced the suspension of its governorship candidate in Kwara State, comrade Abubakar Basambo over what they described as anti-party activities and betrayal of trust.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, the state capital alongside leaders, candidates, support groups and members of the party, the Labour Party chairman, High Chief Kehinde Rotimi, said that the party had not aligned with any governorship candidate or political party in the state for the Saturday governorship elections.
It is recalled that the suspended governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Kwara state, Comrade Basambo Abubakar, had on Monday, addressed pressmen that Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state had decided to align political forces and work together in the March 18 governorship elections in the state in the hope of forming a unity government after governorship election victory.
Basambo Abubakar, a former aide to former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, had said that the union was expected to birth a collective dream for a prosperous Kwara state.
The Labour Party chairman, comrade Rotimi said that the suspended Labour Party governorship candidate acted unilaterally and against what the party stands for, added that he had no such authority to have announced the alignment of the Labour Party with any political party in the state.
The party chairman, who enjoined members of the public to disregard the statement credited to its governorship candidate, said that all House of Assembly candidates of the party are still in the race, urging electorate to troop out en masse on Saturday to vote Labour Party.
“We’re here to set the record straight. Labour Party is a political party with ideology, based on social justice and equality. Labour Party had not adopted candidacy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Shuaib Yaman Abdulahi, as said by Basambo Abubakar. He has no such authority to issue such statement on behalf of the party.
“We’re in a very sober mood right now because of our presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, who was massively voted for by Nigerians, but Nigerian system came into being as usual. Currently, he’s challenging the result of the election in court. So, it’s morally wrong for us to come out and say we’re adopting another party for governorship election against the wish of our presidential candidate”.
The state chairman of the Labour Party also said that the presidential candidate of the party had at no time mandated the party to work for PDP or any other political party in Nigeria. So, we’re not adopting PDP candidate under any guise. Whoever has done so, had done so at his own risk.
“We call on members of the public to disregard the information because it is misleading and incorrect. Labour Party remains one and committed to Nigeria project. All our candidates are contesting for this Saturday elections. Our mandate is sancrosant and we’ll not negotiate.
“Basambo Abubakar has right of freedom of association but we remain resolute and committed to our ideology and we’ve not adopted any governorship candidate or aligned our forces with any political party in the state.
“The National and State Working Committee of Labour Party has ratified his suspension till further notice and henceforth he should not be related with as member of the Labour Party”. he said.
Also speaking, the deputy governorship candidate of the party, Elizabeth Ronke Ehindero, aligned with the party’s position and urge Kwarans to come out en mass and vote for the labour party candidates in the Saturday election.
Comments