For Aligning With PDP: Kwara LP Guber Candidate, Others Suspended

 

By Nurat Uthman

The Labour Party, LP, in Kwara State yesterday suspended indefinitely its Governorship candidate Basambo Abubakar, and his loyalists for alleged anti-party activities and spreading misleading information to members of the public ahead of Saturday gubernatorial poll. 

Recall that on Monday the governorship candidate at a press conference in Ilorin announced that the party had formed an alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party,  PDP, to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the Saturday’s polls. 

But addressing journalists in Ilorin yesterday alongside leaders, candidates, support groups and members of the party among others, State Chairman of LP, Kehinde Rotimi, said the party had not aligned with any governorship candidate or political party in the state for the Saturday governorship elections.

The Labour Party chairman, who said that the suspended governorship candidate acted against what the party stands for, insisted he had no such authorities to have announced alignment of LP with any political party in the state.

He urged the electorate to vote for the Deputy Governorship candidate who has remained loyal, being a joint ticket since the gubernatorial candidate has been suspended.  

According to him, “We are 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 the governorship  candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, Shuaib Yaman Abdulahi, as alleged by Basambo Abubakar. He has no such authority to issue such statement on behalf of the party.

“We are 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.

“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 sacrosanct and we will not negotiate.

“Basambo Abubakar has right of freedom of association but we remain resolute and committed to our ideology and we have not adopted any governorship candidate or aligned our forces with any political party in the state.”