LP suspends Kwara gov candidate for supporting PDP

The Labour Party in Kwara State has suspended its governorship candidate, Basambo Abubakar, about 24 hours after he announced his decision to work for the Peoples Democratic Party against the ruling All Progressives Congress in this Saturday’s election.

The LP chairman in state, Kehinde Rotimi, disclosed this in Ilorin on Tuesday, accusing him of anti-party activities.

Abubakar on Monday said he would collapse his structure for the PDP governorship candidate, Yahman Abdullahi.

Rotimi said the deputy governorship candidate of the party would take the place of Abubakar in the Saturday’s election.

All the party’s house of assembly candidates are still in the race, according to the party chairman.

He said, “We’re here to set the record straight. Labour Party is a political party with an ideology, based on social justice and equality. Labour Party has not adopted the candidacy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Kwara State, Shuaib Yaman Abdullahi, as said by Basambo Abubakar. He has no authority to issue such a statement on behalf of the party.
“We’re in a very sober mood right now because of our presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, who was massively voted for by Nigerians, but the Nigerian system came into being as usual. Currently, he’s challenging the result of the election in court. So, it’s morally wrong for us to come out and say we’re adopting another party for the governorship election against the wish of our presidential candidate.”
He also said,, “So, we’re not adopting PDP candidates under any guise. Whoever has done so, had done so at his own risk.
“We call on members of the public to disregard the information because it is misleading and incorrect. Labour Party remains one and committed to the Nigeria project. All our candidates are contesting this Saturday’s elections. Our mandate is sacrosanct and we’ll not negotiate.
“Basambo Abubakar has the right of freedom of association but we remain resolute and committed to our ideology and we’ve not adopted any governorship candidate or aligned our forces with any political party in the state.”