Prominent stalwarts of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), in Oyo State, including its Chairman, Mr. Wole Abisoye, candidates of the party for Oyo South, Oyo Central and Oyo North Senatorial Districts in the February 23rd National Assembly election, Mr. Aderemi Olajide, Engineer Abiola Olaniyan and Mrs. Ayoka Lawani, have dumped the party and declared their support for gubernatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adebayo Adelabu.
They declared that they had dumped the ZLP and decided to pitch their tent with APC and Adelabu during their meeting with the APC candidate in Ibadan, the state capital Monday evening.
Other stalwarts of the party, who announced their defection to APC are ZLP candidate for Ibadan North East/ Ibadan South East, Mr Semiu Oladimeji Alao and ZLP leader in Ibadan North East local government, Mrs. Monisola Tegbe.
They unanimously averred that only Adelabu has the capacity to keep to the promise because he has a track record of proven integrity and honesty.
They said, “There is no deceit in the promise. What we need to do as a people is to queue behind, support Adelabu to realise his ambition because that is the opportunity we have towards making Oyo state an envy of all.
“Our decision to support Adelabu was purely based on our firm conviction of his ability and capability”.
A close aide to Mr. Adelabu also confirmed to DAILY POST that the ZLP stalwarts meet Adelabu at his Jericho house in Ibadan to declare their full support for him.
But, ZLP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olajide Olanipekun in a statement made available to DAILY POST denied that none of its members has dumped the party though, the picture obtained by DAILY POST on Tuesday shown that the ZLP stalwarts meet Adelabu.
The picture showed that the ZLP stalwarts met with Adelabu at his Jericho house in Ibadan.
Olanipekun, while reacting, declared that former governor of the state, Senator Rasidi Ladoja remained the leader of the party.
He said, “The attention of the Zenith Labour Party Oyo state has been drawn to news of defection of the ZLP Oyo State Chairman Comrade Wole Abisoye and some members to the All Progressive Congress (APC) in some online news media and social media.
“The news is nothing but the figments of the imaginations of those peddling the falsehood.
“We wish to assure the members of ZLP and teeming supporters of High Chief Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja that no member of ZLP has defected to another political party despite the working relationship between ZLP and any other political party to form alliance towards March 9, 2019 election which we believe will bring good governance to the populace of Oyo state.
“High Chief Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja remains the ZLP leader while comrade Wole Abisoye remains the State Chairman. Any contrary news should be ignored.”
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