The Chairman of the Kano State Chapter of the Labour Party, Mohammed Raji on Monday said the alleged governorship candidate defector is not a Labour Party member.
Addressing a press conference on the development, Raji said the man at the centre of the controversy, Alhaji Bashir I Bashir who claimed to be its gubernatorial candidate was not recognized by law, as his name was not in Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC portal.
The Party Chairman described the alleged defection as deceitful, fake and misleading calling on the general public not to take it seriously.
He however decried the actions of some persons whom he described as bent on causing confusion and shattering the dream of victory of the Labour Party at the forthcoming polls.
According to him, “We wish to make it public about the untoward activities by some individuals in order to cause confusion in our Party and to derail our chances at the forthcoming polls. This we condemn and reject because it is tantamount to draining all our efforts for the success of the Labour Party in Kano State. We make bold to plainly admit that we will not condone this unwholesome meddlesomeness in the affairs of the Labour Party in Kano state. Attempts of imposition of people on various positions/organs and levels of our Party from extraneous sources in any way, shape or form must be stopped. Our patience, support, goodwill, cooperation and support for our great Party and its Members at all levels must not be seen as a weakness. All Party Members must respect due process and abide by the rules of engagement.
“Additionally, we are aware of some deceptive, pretentious, fake and misleading actions of some forces who are not genuine Party Members and who are bent on shattering the dream of victory for the Labour Party at the polls. For example, we are privy to a plot by someone who falsely claims to be a Labour Party as a Party that is losing grip. The said pretender is spiritedly trying to woo other genuine candidates of our Party to go with him. His dream is a dead dream. Clearly, we recognise and concede that it is the fundamental right of anybody to choose and belong to a political party of his or her choice. However, we are quick to reckon that the impostor in question is not a member of the Labour Party. So, he cannot leave the house (Labour Party) which he did not inhabit.
“Never! We shall not allow anybody to trade in the name of the Labour Party; the Party we have laboured day and night to nurture and consolidate in Kano State. Therefore, we call on the general public and particularly Labour Party Members to discountenance this move as a sham; a voyage of no value and no substance and does not impede the favourability and acceptance
“More over, the State Council of the party have deeply expressed its full dissatisfaction with the manner in which some wrong elements are trying to divert the attention of the candidate forum in the name of defection which is deceit, we are strongly advising such category of people to know that “we” obedient are fully in support of Obi-Datti movement 2023 100.1% in Kano and if they insisted to go, it is Democratic right for them to single-handedly as empty as they are.
“We are working tirelessly to ensure peaceful coexistence geared towards the forthcoming election and had enjoined all our supporters from polling unit to state levels including all support Group members to strengthen more efforts towards actualising the desired goal of our great party for delivering 75% votes in kano for the forthcoming 2023 General Election of all elective position in labour Party,” Raji noted.
The chairman however called on the party members to jointly work together harmoniously in order to achieve its goals of forming a government at the federal and state levels for the good of Nigeria as a whole.
In wake of Monday morning, a photograph of the party governorship candidate, Bashir I. Bashir with the APC Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was seen as news exchanging hands have it that he has defected to APC.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the LP Governorship candidate, Bashir denied that he has defected from the Labour party to APC.
According to him, “we have not defected but because of the disenchantment and the way things are run in the Labour Party, we are discussing on a high level with other people who know our worth. Once, we reached a decision, we will let you know,” Bashir however stated.
Vanguard