Labour Party’s governorship candidate for Ondo State, Ayodele Olorunfemi, has blamed former presidential candidate Peter Obi and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for his loss in Saturday’s election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared APC’s Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa the winner after he secured all 18 local government areas, garnering 366,781 votes.
Olorunfemi, reinstated as the Labour Party candidate just days before the election by the Court of Appeal, accused Obi and the NLC of undermining his campaign. He alleged that their backing of another candidate, Olusola Ebiseni, disrupted his preparations, including a forged withdrawal letter submitted to the court without his knowledge.
In an interview, Olorunfemi vowed to seek justice, accusing former NLC President Abduwaheed Omar of criminal interference. He plans to petition the Inspector General of Police to investigate.
Meanwhile, the NLC’s acting chairman, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, dismissed Olorunfemi’s claims, alleging he initially sought to sell his candidacy before the court reinstatement. Efforts to reach Peter Obi and Ebiseni for comment were unsuccessful.
The controversy adds tension to the Labour Party’s internal conflicts, further affecting its political strategies.
