Ondo 2020: Ajayi Eminently Qualify, ZLP Replies Lawyer
Daily Metro News NG
Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in Ondo State has said that the Party’s flag bearer and Deputy Governor of the State, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, is eminently and supremely qualified to run for the October 10, governorship election in Ondo state.
The ZLP responded to a 7-day ultimatum given to the National Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu by one Mr Femi Emmanuel Emodamori, a legal practitioner based in Akure who is asking the Electoral umpire to publish the personal particulars of the Candidate of the ZLP and Ondo State Deputy Governor ahead of the governorship election.
It was reported that a letter dated September 1, 2020, and addressed to INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, by Mr Emodamori had requested the commission to publish the particular of the incumbent deputy governor in line with the provisions of Section 31 (2) & (3) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).
The Lawyer had alleged that he has strong evidence, like many other members of the Civil Society, that Hon. Alfred Agboola Ajayi has presented false certificates to INEC within the context of Section 182 (1) (j) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
Mr Felix Olatunde, the State Publicity Secretary of ZLP, in a statement on Wednesday, said that the party is aware of the attempt to create doubt in the minds of its members and indeed the electorates concerning the popularity and wide acceptability of Ajayi.
”The Zenith Labour Party is well aware of the attempt to create doubt in the minds of our ever-increasing members and indeed voters concerning our popular and widely accepted candidate, Hon Agboola Ajayi.”
”We just read a funny ultimatum to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC by someone who claims to be a lawyer obviously acting on the prodding of some political adventurers.”
”We are aware of the clout chasing effort of those behind the lawyer in this attempt to tout an ultimatum that is futile in its entirety”, Olatunde said.
The Party urge its members and supporters to continue without any fear with the ongoing mobilisation and campaign efforts, the party described the Lawyer’s claim on Ajayi as a distracting darts that have little or no effect on the growing popularity of its candidate.
”While we know that INEC is capable of taking care of itself and its operations, we state without any equivocation that our candidate was well aware of the preplanned effort now being executed hence he submitted the minimum qualification required by law.”
”We state that such distracting darts have little or no effect on the growing popularity of our candidate.”
”Several efforts in the past to hinder the political rise of our candidate have failed woefully and the current effort to hinder him will equally fail.”
”We urge our teeming members and supporters to proceed without any fear with ongoing mobilisation and campaign efforts towards ousting the outgoing governor and the APC.”
”We assure that by the grace of God and the votes of the teeming majority who are tired of the underperformance and nepotism of the outgoing governor, the ZLP will win this election fair and square and no rabble-rousing litigant can change the course of history,” the statement concluded.