Prof. Awamaridi says he remains Lagos Labour party Governorship candidate, integrates Peter Obi's support group in party's database

 

  

The Lagos State Chairman and Governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Professor Ifagbemi Awamaridi, has commenced the registration and integration of new members and support groups into the party’s database, which according to him is an attempt to solidify the party structure in the state, after a failed attempt by Kayode Salako-led faction of the party, to hijack the party structure from him.  

 

The Lagos State Labour Party Chairman,  in a statement on Saturday at a town hall meeting with the state working committee of the party held at Avid Empire, Alagbado, Lagos, urged all party members and the support groups of Peter Obi, the party’s Presidential candidate, to validate their membership in their units, wards and local government across Lagos state.

 

He also charged prospective members and lovers of the party to take advantage of the membership registration window to join the party in rescuing the state and country from misrule of the ruling party.

 

Awamaridi noted that the process of membership registration and support base validation will take place simultaneously in every unit, ward and local  Government in the state.

 

While reacting to the Salako-led party's substituted primary election which produced  Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, as the Governorship candidate of LP in Lagos, Awamaridi disclosed that he remains the party’s flag bearer in the 2023 race.

 

Recall that at the substitution primary election held in Lagos on Thursday,  Rhodes-Vivour, was announced to have defeated Moshood Salvador, after both joined the party from Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and All Progressive Congress(APC) respectively about a month ago.

 

Prof Awamaridi insisted that he remains the party’s flag-bearer, recognized by the election umpire, INEC, adding that the political parties in Nigeria are bound by dictates of the  country’s constitution and not by charades by some individuals.

 

He said,  “My emergence as the party’s flag-bearer came in, through the party’s congress simultaneously held across the 40 state constituencies, 24 federal constituencies and 3 senatorial districts  before INEC’s deadline for nomination of party’s candidates in June, 2022.

 

 ”I am not  a place-holder for anybody and candidate. I am an authentic candidate and my name has been published on the INEC’s portal. The agents of APC and PDP are the imposters planning to destabilise the party in the state.

 

 “We all know that the Labour party is not new in Lagos state. We have participated in March 9, 2019, Gubernatorial/ House of Assembly polls. We also fielded candidates in the Senate and House of Representative elections in the past.

 

“We have not just emerged out of anywhere. We have nurtured a solid structure over the years in the state. We are the only party in the state that fought the ruling party to the Supreme court in the last election.

 

Speaking about the party’s manifesto, Awamaridi noted that he has mapped out ten(10) popular programmes, tagged: “Our frontline charges and priorities”. These according to him are issues that the party can be measured with when in power.

 

 Professor Awamaridi insisted that LP committed to rescuing the state and country's present challenges, which he claimed have been entrenched by APC.

He listed the 10 cardinal programmes to include free and compulsory education up to the tertiary level, health services, internet connection, potable water, electricity, employment and a living wage for workers.

 Professor Awamaridi however noted that the authentic Lagos party recognised by INEC is working with the former Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode’s support group.