Labour Party’s National Chairman Faults Daniel’s Expulsion and Akinlade’s Endorsement

December 15, 2013 olasope01

Following the Expulsion of Otunba Gbenga Daniel from the Labour Party by its Ogun State chapter on Saturday, The National Headquarters of Labour Party has disassociated itself from the expulsion.

In a Statement, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Dan Nwanyanwu, said that the suspension was illegal as no organ of the party has powers to expel any member except the national convention of the party.

“Labour Party disassociates itself from the press conference that allegedly expelled OGD from LP. No organ of our party has powers to expel any member except the national convention of the party.”

Nwanyanwu also said the party had no problems with Daniel,“The party has no issues with OGD, infact the national leadership will be meeting with OGD and party faithfuls in Ogun State tomorrow as a continuation of previous meetings held. OGD is still with the party body and soul.”

The leadership of the party also said it didn’t recognise Abiodun Akinlade as its governorship candidate in 2015 saying the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is yet to release the time table for the 2015 general election.

“Labour party is a democratic institution and has not endorsed anybody for the 2015 governorship election in any state in Nigeria. Above all, INEC is yet to release the time table for the 2015 general election.”

The state Chapter of the party in a statement that announced the suspension of Daniel had declared a three time member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abiodun Akinlade as its flag bearer for the 2015 gubernatorial election. Akinlade who represents ‎Yewa South and Ipokia Federal Constituency was first elected into the House of Representatives on the platform of PDP in 2003. His re-election into the House in 2007 was marred with controversy and litigation. He was reported to have lost the Primary election in the PDP to Alhaji Alli Ajibode, a political associate of Alhaja Salmot Badru, Daniel’s deputy.

However, Daniel supported Akinlade and made sure the latter became the candidate of the party in 2007 despite the resistance by the party faithfuls from Akinlade’s constituency . Ajibode was later compensated with the position of Commissioner for Forestry by Daniel in 2007. The relationship between Daniel and Akinlade degenerated when the latter teamed up with the former Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole to fight Daniel when the party was in crisis. Akinlade latter decamped to The defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN and got elected into the House in 2011.

With the endorsement of Akinlade as the party’s candidate in the 2015 election, observers say the executives of the party in the state are making mockery of democratic essence having endorsed Gboyega Nasir Isiaka in the past. GNI, as Isiaka fondly called was endorsed in March this year by the party in the state and a letter endorsing him as the candidate of LP in the governorship election was given to him. Isiaka was the candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN, in the governorship election in 2011. PPN, the party Daniel funded and supported came third in the 2011 elections. Daniel’s support for PPN was one of the reasons he was suspended and later expelled from the PDP.