The leadership of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, has reeled out the names of candidates it considered as authentic.
According to its chairman, Comrade Wole Abisoye, at a press conference at the Bodija residence of Sen. Rashidi Ladoja, who is the party’s leader, he said that Barr. Sharafadeen Alli remains its gubernatorial candidate while the trio of Remi Olajide, Abiola Olaniyan, Ayoka Lawani are its senatorial candidates for Oyo South, Central and North respectively.
He also stressed that a former aide of incumbent Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Otunba Rotimi Ajanaku remained its House of Representatives candidate for Ibadan Southwest and Northwest constituency, just as he warned a certain politician, Bolaji Gbadamosi, to desist from parading himself as the party’s flag bearer in the constituency.
Abisoye emphasized that “Ajanaku is the only person presented the flag because he has fulfilled all the conditions and the National Headquarters of the party recognized him. The National Chairman led other party executives all the way from Abuja to present him the party’s flag as the symbol of authority and recognition. No other candidate except him’. He stated.
The list of the House of Representatives candidates includes: Adeniyi Kazeem, Ibadan North, Semiu Alao, Ibadan Northeast/Southeast, Bimbo Adepoju, Iddo/ Ibarapa east, Olagbenro Adebayo, Saki West/ Saki east/ Atisbo, Abu Salami, Ogbomosho North/South/Oriire and others.
Abisoye however berated the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for stopping the candidates from campaigning, a week to the polls. “It is unconstitutional to stop campaign now when the law stipulates that campaign must run till 24hours to the elections’. He emphasized.
Abisoye who quoted sections 99 and 99 (1) of the Electoral Act that public campaigns shall end 24 hours prior to the day of polling, said: “It is, therefore, wrong to expect that political parties will stop campaigns on February 14 for polls that will open on February 23. It is unlawful and statutorily wrong to curtail the clear intendment of this section of the Electoral Act which is clear and unambiguous.”
Abisoye said the move to allow parties resume campaigns become imperative because of the fake news, which if not immediately countered through newspaper adverts or radio jingles/announcement could affect the fortune of candidates and the political parties they represent.
He told INEC to reconsider its stand and allow campaign to start by Monday, in the interest of justice and fairplay.
