Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Ayodele Olorunfemi asserted on Wednesday that he remains the rightful candidate for the upcoming November election.
Olorunfemi clarified that he has neither withdrawn nor stepped down for anyone, emphasizing that he is the legitimate candidate, having won the party’s primary in June 2024.
He pointed out that his name is already published on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal, stressing that it cannot be withdrawn except in the case of death or voluntary resignation, which must not be coerced.
He dismissed the claims made by Chief Sola Ebiseni, a factional candidate within the Labour Party, who alleged that Olorunfemi was merely a “placeholder” for the governorship slot. Olorunfemi argued that any substitution after the closure of INEC’s window is illegal.
The rivalry between Olorunfemi and Sola Ebiseni, the Secretary General of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization Afenifere, has been intense, with both laying claim to the party’s ticket.
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Ebiseni has claimed that the national leadership of the party endorsed him as the flagbearer for the November 16 election, while Olorunfemi insists that he was the one duly elected by party members during the primary.
Olorunfemi however, maintained that he was duly elected by party members at the primary of the party but said Ebiseni went through back door to secure the support of the national leadership of the party in Abuja.
He said, ” I want to tell you that I remain the party’s candidate and any other candidate is a counterfeit . You can only get to know the party’s candidate through the INEC portal and my name is clearly written as the Labour Party candidate.
“As far as Ebiseni is concerned, he aspired but he came at time that was too late for anybody to concede the ticket to him.
“He came at a time when the window has closed and INEC has already shut its portal and the National Working Committee has communicated this to him. ”
Olorunfemi alleged that Ebiseni had not resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and could not claim to be a member of the LP in the state nor at the national level.
“Apart from this, we are not aware that he has resigned from PDP or maybe he has done that now we don’t know but as at now we are not aware of his resignation from PDP.
“He was never member of the Labour Party and he contested under PDP platform and after contesting under PDP, is he now claiming to be member of Labour Party without documentation or due process.
“Our party loves process, we are guided by rules and our constitution is sacrosanct and if anybody wants to join the party, he will have to go to his ward to register and communicate to the state secretariat and will be properly received by the leadership of the party.
“But he has chosen the path of dishonour by bringing people who are bent in destroying Labour Party to come and endorse him as the candidate of the party in Abuja and Akure.
“This will not work because the party has a constitution and we must abide by the party’s constitution”
Olorunfemi promised to focus on education, economy and security sectors if voted as the governor of the state.
In his remarks, the state chairman of the LP, Mr Abiodun Agbaje said Olorunfemi was the only candidate of the party , insisting that Ebiseni came to the party when the window of governorship candidate had closed.
