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Labour Party Governorship Candidate Kicks As Party Adopts PDP Governor Makinde In Oyo

THE Labour Party governorship candidate in Oyo state, Alhaji Tawfiq Akinwale has vowed not to step down for Governor Seyi Makinde following the endorsement of the governor by the party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

Labour Party Governorship Candidate Kicks As Party Adopts PDP Governor Makinde In Oyo

The Labour Party in Oyo earlier adopted Governor Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party as its candidate for the March 11 governorship election.

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LP chairman, Mr Sadiq Atayese, on Sunday at a press conference said the state’s Working Committee of the party believed in the emergence of Makinde, a ‘candidate with character, competence and capacity’ in the interest of the citizens.

He, however, called on the electorate to vote for LP candidates in the state assembly elections, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

But in a statement issued on Sunday, Akinwale said it was shocking to hear the news, adding that he would not betray his supporters for any reason.

He said, “I am addressing you at this press time based on information made available to me that the Oyo State Labour Party Chairman, Sodiq Atayese will be leading some candidates of the party to declare support for the outgoing governor Seyi Makinde of the PDP ahead of the March 11, 2023 governorship election.

“It is with great shock that I received this information and I totally dissociate myself from and outrightly condemn such a callous move.

“I, Tawfiq Tayo Akinwale hereby declare and reemphasize that I did not and will not step down for any candidate or party be it outgoing Seyi Makinde or any other person.

“My people, your support, efforts, and prayers have pushed us this far and I will not betray you all for any reason.

“I want to advise anyone planning to sell out the strug­gles, efforts, resources, time, and sweat of many of my ar­dent supporters and lovers of the Labour Party to quickly cancel such plans to avert the anger of God upon them.

“It is in your best interest, Sodiq Atayese, not to attempt to sell out the Labour Party in Oyo State. We will not allow any individual no matter his/ her status within and outside the Labour Party shortchange us and the will of the masses.

“I remain committed to winning this election and by the grace of God and the support I have enjoyed so far, Victory is certain. The oppositions have seen this sign of victory and that is why they are doing ev­erything possible to manipulate and change the unchangeable God’s plan.

“This is an assurance that I, Tawfiq Tayo Akinwale of the Labour Party will win the gov­ernorship election on March 11, 2023, by the grace of God and the support of all the good peo­ple of Oyo State.

“I urge you all to remain resolute with me as we enter D-day with confidence and as­surance of victory. No man can stop God’s work, not even the Chairman of any party.”

The party’s chairman, Atayese, had said going by the results of the February 25 presidential election, “it is obvious that no individual party can win the coming gubernatorial election singlehandedly”.

“The main priority should be to ensure that citizens win through the election of a candidate that best serves their collective interests.

“Against this backdrop, the right thing now is for parties and their candidates to form alliances with candidates of like ideology,” he said.

According to Atayese, LP in Oyo State has decided to work with the candidate whose ideology tallies with its own in terms of security of lives and property, infrastructural development, food security, education and human capital development.

“It is of note that the present PDP administration under Governor Makinde has presented its scorecard from the health sector with the provisions of Primary Healthcare Centres in every ward to security and others.

“There is no doubt that his governance ideas in the establishment of Park Management System which other states now emulate have made him to be a leader with uncommon innovation.

“From our evaluation as a party, Makinde has done well and we know that continuous development of a state is a function of stability in governance,” he said.

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