By G9ija
Kwara State’s Labour Party suspended its gubernatorial candidate, Comrade Basambo Abubakar, for his affiliation with the Peoples Democratic Party prior to the upcoming governorship and state assembly elections.
The party’s chairman, Chief Kehinde Rotimi, disclosed the suspension during a press conference in Ilorin on Tuesday.
The suspension, is due to alleged anti-party activities and the dissemination of misleading information by Basambo. The suspension will remain in place until further notice.
On Monday, Basambo, the governorship candidate for Kwara State’s Labour Party, announced during a press conference in Ilorin that the party would collaborate with the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
Basambo indicated that the parties would combine their resources and work together for the success of the PDP’s governorship and assembly candidates.
Basambo also proposed that the Labour Party would merge its structure with the PDP’s where the latter had a more substantial presence, while the PDP would do the same where the Labour Party was more robust.
He continued, “For this reason, the Labour Party in Kwara State has decided to align political forces with the PDP and work together in Saturday’s governorship election in the state.”
Basambo, who previously served as an aide to former Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki, expressed optimism that the collaboration between the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party would result in a better future for Kwara State.
However, the Labour Party’s leadership, including the chairman, candidates, and support groups, reiterated that the party had not formed an alliance with any political party or gubernatorial candidate in the state for the upcoming election on Saturday.
Kehinde stated that the suspended gubernatorial candidate, Basambo, acted contrary to the party’s principles. He emphasized that Basambo did not have the authority to declare an alliance between the Labour Party and any political party in the state.
The party chairman, urging the public to disregard the statement made by the suspended governorship candidate, assured that all of the Labour Party’s House of Assembly candidates were still in the running for the election. He encouraged voters to turn out in large numbers on Saturday to support the Labour Party.
“We’re here to set the record straight. Labour Party is a political party with ideology, based on social justice and equality. Labour Party had not adopted candidacy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Shuaib Yaman Abdulahi, as said by Basambo Abubakar. He has no such authority to issue such statement on behalf of the party.
The state chairman of the Labour Party also said that the presidential candidate of the party had at no time mandated the party to work for the PDP or any other political party in Nigeria, saying “so we’re not adopting the PDP candidate 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 Nigeria project. All our candidates are contesting for this Saturday elections. Our mandate is sancrosant and we’ll not negotiate.” He said.