Ahead of the governorship campaigns scheduled for October,the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos yesterday warned its “gubernatorial placeholder,” Mr. Ifagbemi Awamaridi to stop parading himself a the party’s candidate for the State.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Arabambi Abayomi, who gave the warning on behalf of the National Working Committee of the party, gave the Certificate of Returns to Gbadegbo Rhodes-Vivour, who had emerged as the winner during the recently conducted primary, even as he urged the INEC to order the immediate arrest of Awamaridi.
The Publicity Secretary also inaugurated 24-member of the State Exco led by the chairman, Kayode Salako.
Abayomi said: “I have the mandate of the national body to inaugurate the new Exco and give certificate of return to our candidate, Gbadegbo Rhodes-Vivour, if you (Awamaridi) continue to parade yourself as our gubernatorial candidate, we will get you arrested.
“The emergency of Gbadegbo Rhodes-Vivour as the 2023 Lagos State governorship candidate followed all the necessary laws, regulations and guidelines as provided in the LP Constitution, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the INEC guidelines.
Simply to put the records straight, Awamaridi was once the Chairman of the LP of the Lagos Caretaker Committee at one point. He was made a placeholder for the Governorship Primary Election, thus his name was submitted as the governorship candidate since Lagos LP was yet to finally conclude all the required processes
“The place holder status given to Awamaridi was one from which he formerly tendered official resignation. Awamaridi ‘s letter of resignation was willfully, voluntarily and clearly signed and tendered. Of course documents don’t lie.”
While advising Awamaridi to go to court if he felt aggrieved, Abayomi said he should also be aware that his tenure had elapsed as the Chairman Caretaker Committee of the party.
He added: “The party is aware of the activities of the treacherous political rats and scavengers already bought and serving the interest of the opposition whose objective is to try to create a foolishly planned semblance of incoherence in Lagos State LP.
“LP has no room for imported political rascality informed by greed for slavish and embarrassingly insulting money considerations.”
In his acceptance speech, Rhodes-Vivour commended the party for clearing all doubts and controversies about his candidacy after winning a freest primary.
“I am happy that we can now move forward. Lagos we have now as the state that is not working. It is time for our Lagos to work for everybody. The people will get the best service. We are going to put the people first. We are determined to deliver the state that works.”
