LAGOS LABOUR PARTY CRISIS: AWAMARIDI WAS JUST A PLACEHOLDER – NATIONAL PUBLICITY SECRETARY
By Aishat Momoh. O.
On Tuesday, Comrade Abayomi Arabambi, the National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party presented Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour, as the authentic governorship candidate of the party in Lagos, while handing him a Certificate of Returns.
While presenting the Certificate of Returns on behalf of the party’s National Chairman, Barr. Julius Abure, he mentioned that the controversy that trailed the Labour Party’s governorship primaries was unnecessary.
This development is coming after the previous chairman of the caretaker committee, Mr. Ifagbemi Awamaridi, voluntarily tendered his resignation letter.
During the press conference, Abayomi stated that the emergence of Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour, as the party’s governorship Candidate followed all the necessary laws, regulations and guidelines as provided in the party’s constitution, Nigerian constitution as well as INEC guidelines.
He went on to say that Awamaridi was at some point, the party’s Chairman of the Lagos Caretaker Committee and was also, made a place holder for the Governorship Primary Election in which his name was submitted as the Governorship Candidate as the party was yet to conclude the required processes.
He added that the placeholder which was given to Mr. Ifagbemi was one from which he formally tendered official resignation.
The resignation of Ifagbemi, according to Com. Arabambi was tendered voluntarily, willfully and clearly signed.
It would be recalled that Ifagbami Awamaridi, the embattled state chairman and governorship candidate of the party, had insisted that he remained the chairman and governorship candidate of the party, having won the primaries earlier conducted and his name published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“The emergence of Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour as the 2023 Lagos state governorship candidate of the LP followed all necessary laws, regulations and guidelines as provided in our Constitution, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and INEC guidelines.
“Simply to put the records straight, Awamaridi was the chairman of the LP Lagos state 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 placeholder status given to Mr Ifagbemi Awamaridi was one from which he formally tendered official resignation. Awamaridi’s letter of resignation was willfully, voluntarily and clearly signed and tendered. Of course, documents don’t lie. He has ceased to be our gubernatorial candidate,” he added.
He further stated that, the party is not a social media party but, has vowed to win the general elections in 2023 adding that, there are over 22 million registered voters who have indicated their interests in the party as Nigerians are yearning for change as the other parties has failed to meet the people’s expectations.
“We are not a social media political party. The people that are conducting our rallies across the states are human beings. We are the new phenomenon, the uncommon political party that will move our nation from consumption to production. As I speak now, with the number of support groups that have registered with their Voters cards and telephone numbers, LP has 22 million Nigerians with us. And we are expecting more before December. Nigerians are yearning for change; they have gone through a lot and they know the person they want to lead them. You can see that all across Nigeria, the movement is so massive because Peter Obi is the only pan-Nigeria candidate who the people trust. These are Nigerians asking for positive change,” he said.
He however, inaugurated the newly appointed 24-man caretaker executive committee of the party in the state on behalf of the National Working Committee of the party.
Meanwhile, Gbadebo while speaking to the press, expressed delight that the party has clarified the controversy surrounding the conduct of the primary.
He also mentioned that he is going to focus on Human Capacity Development, Socio-Infrastructure, Physical Infrastructure while assuring that he will win the governorship election.
“This is the time to move from transformation by taxation, to transformation by development. We need to create a Lagos for now because, the Lagos we now is not working.”