The Labour Party has debunked reports that its Southwest chapter has collapsed its structure into the All Progressive Congress (APC), two weeks to the presidential election.
Several news outlets had reported on Monday that members of the party have massively defected to the APC. Omotoso Banji is said to have led the defectors. Others were said to be the Labour Party’s chairman in Osun State, Tunde Omotunde and his Ekiti State counterpart, Alabi Adeeyo; Ondo Secretary of LP, Omowumi Olosola, Stella Alabi from Lagos State amongst others.
Omotoso was quoted as saying that the leaders of Southwest LP decided to quit the party because it lacks the capacity and viability to win the 2023 elections.
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“Labour Party presently is a shaky platform for anybody to contest, Labour Party is a failure platform for anybody to contest, I don’t know Peter Obi and I’m less concerned about him but I’m concerned about those celebrating the Labour Party mediocre within Nigeria.
“In view of this, we leaders of the Labour Party in the South-West have decided to leave the party because we have a lot of mediocre there and what they are looking for is money, they are not ready to serve Nigeria,” he said.
But a statement signed by the Labour Party Southwest Stakeholders, a few hours later, described the reports as “mischievous” and “unfounded.” It said the Labour Party Southwest remains intact ahead of the February 25 and March 11 general elections.
The APC has been caught on several occasions making spurious claims since the electoral campaign began. The statement added that the APC has resorted to propaganda because they are intimidated by the massive support for the Labour Party from the masses.
It assured the party’s supporters that there is no such office as Labour Party South West Chairman, “neither has any of the Labour Party stakeholders across the southwest states ever contemplated working for the failed APC or any other political party.”
Read the statement below:
“Our attention has been drawn to the laughable “fake news” that the Labour Party Southwest Structure has collapsed for APC.
“This mischievous and unfounded claim is been disseminated by failed propagandists who can no longer find peace of mind due to the great acceptance, massive support, and daily soul-winning for the Labour Party at the grassroots level in the southwestern states of Nigeria.
“To set the records straight, the Labour Party structure in the southwest remains unshaken and fully prepared to deliver all Labour Party Candidates at both the February 25th and March 11th, 2023 elections.
“The public should be informed that there is no such office as Labour Party South West Chairman, and neither has any of the Labour Party stakeholders across the southwest states ever contemplated working for the failed APC or any other political party.
“Every name mentioned therein we disown as they do not exist as claimed or represent stakeholders in the South West Structure of the Labour Party.
Unlike the failed APC which has been rejected by the masses, Labour Party and its candidates have continually enjoyed massive love in the Southwest.
“We, therefore, reassure Nigerians that the Labour Party remains committed to winning all positions in the southwest by wide margins. We will not be distracted by their usual antics, we do not expect less from a party that has consistently engaged in a national show of shame.
“All six (6) states in the southwest are for Labour Party, Labour Party in Oyo State for instance has enjoyed more popularity, love, and support from the masses enough to force the opposition to settle for cheap blackmails and propaganda to misinform the massive supporters rooting for the Labour Party.
“Once again, we are sure to win massively in the southwest and no amount of propaganda or intimidation can stop Labour Party from winning the southwest.”