The Lagos State Chapter of the Labour Party (LP) on Friday night debunked a report that it has replaced Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour with Prof. Ifagbemi Awamaridi.
Speculations emerged on Friday that Awamaridi is the authentic candidate of the party in the governorship election in the state.
Awamaridi had alleged that the Lagos LP recognised gubernatorial candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and the party’s executives submitted a fake withdrawal letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He added that at no point in time did he tender a letter the election umpire withdrawing his candidature.
Awamaridi made this claim during a media chat at Primal Hotel in Ikeja on Thursday, March 16.
In a recent development, a statement purportedly signed by the party’s State Secretary, Sam Okpala claimed Awamaridi is the party’s valid candidate.
Okpala, however, in a chat with Tribune described the statement as fake news.
He said, “It’s fake news. They (the opposition) can go to any length… they forged my signature and the statement (press release) was never from me or the Labour Party.
“We do not know any Ifagbemi Awamaridi or whoever. Our candidate for tomorrow’s (Saturday’s) election is Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour. Don’t let nobody kid you. Labour Party do not know anything about that release. It’s a handiwork of lour distractors who are jittery because defeat is stirring at them in the face and they don’t accept the reality.”
