JUST IN: Labour Party Speaks On Dropping #Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour For #Awamaridi On Election Day—The Genius Media Nigeria reports that The Lagos State Chapter of the Labour Party (LP) on Friday night debunked the report that its authentic candidate in the state is Prof. Ifagbemi Awamaridi.
This online newspaper understands that there had been claims online that Awamaridi is the authentic candidate of the party in the governorship election in the state.
Awamariri had alleged that the Lagos LP recognised gubernatorial candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and the party’s executives submitted a fake withdrawal letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He added that at no point in time did he tender a letter to withdraw his candidature to the electoral umpire.
Awamaridi made this claim during a media chat at Primal Hotel in Ikeja on Thursday, March 16.
In a recent development, a statement purportedly signed by the party’s State Secretary, Sam Okpala claimed Awamaridi is the party’s valid candidate.
Okpala, however, in a chat with Tribune described the statement as fake news.
He said, “It’s fake news. They (the opposition) can go to any length… they forged my signature and the statement (press release) was never from me or the Labour Party.
“We do not know any Ifagbemi Awamaridi or whoever. Our candidate for tomorrow’s (Saturday’s) election is Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour. Don’t (referring to our reporter) let nobody kid you. Labour Party do not know anything about that release. It’s a handiwork of lour distractors who are jittery because defeat is stirring at them in the face and they don’t accept the reality.”