Ondo Guber: Labour Party Disowns Ebiseni, Says Olorunfemi Remains Party Candidate

The National leadership of the Labour Party has officially distanced itself from Olusola Ebiseni, the Secretary General of the Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere.

Reports had emerged earlier that Ebiseni is the party’s new candidate for the upcoming governorship election scheduled for November 16 in the state.

However, in a counter statement released on Wednesday by the National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party clarified that Ayo Olorunfemi was selected as its official candidate for the governorship election following the primaries conducted in Akure in June.

It further argued that Ebiseni, who previously ran for the governorship position on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and was unsuccessful, has not yet resigned from that party, nor has he formally aligned himself with the Labour Party.

Ifoh said, “Dr. Olorunfemi is the candidate of the Labour Party. He emerged after the governorship primaries witnessed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). His name was subsequently submitted to INEC and was published as the Labour Party’s duly nominated candidate for the Ondo election.

“Chief Ebiseni is not our candidate, though he aspired to be one. INEC has since concluded the nomination processes and one wonders how he emerged without the involvement of the INEC and the sponsorship of the Labour Party.

“We also took note of some persons who are not members of the Labour Party but believed to be working for the Nigeria Labour Congress who must have been urging him on in their blind and illegitimate pursuit of the leadership of the party even when the Appeal Court has affirmed Barrister Julius Abure as the authentic chairman of the Labour Party.

“Impersonation is a serious crime in Nigeria, and we, therefore, urge the Nigeria Police, the Department of the State Security and all other security agencies to apprehend anyone impersonating or being used to fight a proxy battle by way of impersonation.

“Labour Party is poised to win the Ondo governorship election, having fielded a very credible candidate who is a grassroots politician, a prominent Labour leader and a renowned educationist. We think that this unholy alliance between Ebiseni and APC-sponsored NLC is geared towards frustrating our expected victory at the polls, but we will resist it through every legal means.

“We are therefore calling on our party members in Ondo, particularly the Obidient family and the entire electorate to ignore the gang up against the party and come out en-masse to vote for Dr Olorunfemi of the Labour Party, secure our votes and make sure our votes count.”