Another crisis may have begun brewing in the Labour Party (LP), over the appointment of its new Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council (LPPCC) Director General, Akin Osuntokun, who has been identified as a senatorial candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
In a statement issued by the suspended national publicity secretary, Comrade Abayomi Arabambi, the newly appointed DG for the LPPCC, Akin Osuntokun, does not qualify to lead the LP presidential campaign council over conflict of interest.
Arambabi said Mr. Osuntokun cannot head the Labour Party PCC because he is running as the Ekiti central Senatorial candidate in the same election cycle for another political party the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)
In a reaction from the office of the Head Media Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Diran Onifade, Akin Osuntokun replaced the former DG of the Campaign Council Dr. Doyin Okupe, after his conviction for money laundering, for which he elected to comply with the option of fine and paid the sum of N13m to escape being jailed for two years.
According to Diran, Osuntokun’s appointment was an elevation from his former office within the campaign structure.
He maintained that Akin Osuntokun’s ambition for the senatorial district has been shelved for the national good.
Diran explained that “Before what is an elevation in the Campaign structure, Osuntokun was the South West Coordinator of the campaign in which position he has been functioning.
Truth is that Osuntokun once expressed interest in running for the Senate but the such decision was invariably abandoned in preference for the national movement for a formidable third force to rescue Nigeria, for which Peter Obi is the symbol of an unprecedented national coalition.
Osuntokun has thus not taken any step in the actualization of any Senatorial ambition and will not be deterred in the national assignment of rescuing Nigeria through the OBIDATTI Movement.
The new position of the Director General is the continuation at the national level of the same objective at the South West zone.”
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The Media office’s explanation fell short of stating Osuntokun complied with Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2022 as amended, on “Withdrawal of candidate” said, “A candidate may withdraw his or her candidature by notice in writing signed by him and delivered personally by the candidate to the political party that nominated him for the election and the political party shall convey such withdrawal to the Commission not later than 90.”
There are less than 60 days until February 25th for the presidential election in 2023.
The Obi-Datti office warned the former publicity secretary of the Labour party, Comrade Arabambi Abayomi, to stop parading himself as the national publicity secretary of the party as he remains suspended.
“Abayomi Arabambi is no longer the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party. He is a saboteur serving the interests of a generous paymaster outside the party. We urge that he be treated as such going forward,” Head of Media Obi-Datti Campaign Council, Diran Onifade stayed
