The Labour Party in Lagos State has dismissed earlier announcement on the replacement of its governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour For Saturday’s state gubernatorial and legislative elections in the state.
The party had in an earlier statement signed by its secretary, Sam Okpala.
A press release jointly signed by the State Legel Adviser, Abbas Ibrahim Esq and the State Secretary, Sam Okpala urged the people of Lagos State and the general public to disregard acrimonious campaign of calumny against the Labour Party governorship candidate as the party said that it is focused on winning the state elections.
The letter reads, “Our attention has been drawn to reports in some sections of the media and WhatsApp pletforms of alleged pendency of a suit at the Supreme Court chellenging the candidature of Ghedebo Rhodes-Vivour as the lagitimate gubernatorial candidate of Labour Perty in Lagos.
“We hasten to state that the said allegations are patently false. Professor Fagbemi Awamaridi (“Prof Fagbemi”), a former Caretaker Chairman and Gubernatorial Condidate of the Labour Party in Lagos State submitted his withdrawal letter pursuant to Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2022 to our Party vide a letter dated 18th June 2022.
“Upon his withdrawel and in line with the Electoral Act, a Substitution Primaries was scheduled to be conducted between Alhaji Moshood Salvador and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour on 10 August 2022.
“On 10th August 2022, a substitution primary was conducted and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vieour emerged winner and became the Gubernatorial Candidate of the Labour Party in Lagos State.
“Prof. Fagbemi approached the Federel High Court on 22% August 2022 in Suit No.: FHC/ARI/CS/1463/ 022.
“On 8th December 2022, the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos (Coram judice: D.E. Osiagor J.) held that Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour remains the valid and authentic Gubernatorial Candidate of Labour Party in Lagos State and dimissed the claims of Prof. Fagbemni.
“Being dissatisfied with the Judgment of the Court, Prof. Fagbemi approached the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division in Appeal Number CA/NLAG/CV/12/2022. On 2nd February 2023, the three (3) panel of Judges unanimously dimissed Prof. Fagbemi’s Appeal for being incompetent and violating the provision of the Elections Judicial Proceedings Practice Direction 2022.
“This concludes all the subsisting cases commenced by Prof. Fagbemi against the candidature of Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour as the lagitimate gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party in Lagos State.
“It is imperative to state that Section 77 of the Electorsl Act, 2022 deals with the corporate structure of a political party and the need to maintain a register of its members.
“Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour was a member of Labour Party months before the Substitution Primary, and he remains our gubernatorial candidate for the March 18th, 2023, Governorship and Houses of Assembly elections.
“The people of Lagos State and the general public are hereby advised to ignore all acrimonious campaign of calumny by the other political parties and focus on electing Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour as our Governer on Saturday, 18th March 2023”, the party stated.
