the beleaguered Labor Party Lagos gubernatorial candidate Ifagbemi Awamaridi called the event in which national party leaders issued a return certificate to the “authentic” candidate a “comedy.”
Mr. Awamaridi spoke on the morning show on Arise TV on Thursday.
On Tuesday, the Labor Party national leadership issued a return certificate to Gbadebo Rhodes-Viviour, who won the party’s replacement primary in Lagos.
The party said the event ended the controversy surrounding its authentic candidate.
On Thursday, the host of the TV show introduced Mr. Awamaridi as a faction candidate, to which he replied: “To say that I am a faction candidate for Lagos State is a very wrong statement.”
He said the election that saw Mr. Rhodes-Vivour emerge as a gubernatorial candidate is “fraudulent.”
‘Comedy’
Mr. Awamaridi described the return certificate given to Mr. Rhodes-Vivour as a “paper”, which is “unconstitutional and irrelevant”.
He reiterated that he remains the “substantive candidate of the party for governor” and that no candidate should be presented either by the party or by the electoral body except in the event of withdrawal or death.
“I have not resigned, I have gone to trial to testify when this comedy and pranks came out,” he said.
“I went to court and made a statement under oath that I have not withdrawn my candidacy. I am alive, I am not dead.
He added that he remains the candidate “until the final determination of the lawsuit in court.”
Sworn declaration
In an affidavit of non-withdrawal by Mr. Awamaridi in a State High Court in Abuja, he said that, “I hereby declare under oath that I have not withdrawn my candidacy and will not withdraw my candidacy and do not intend to withdraw my candidacy.” candidacy and I will not withdraw my candidacy.
“I hereby declare under oath that I am alive, I am not dead, and I do not consent to any type of obituary being made on my behalf.”
Mr. Awamaridi pointed out that according to the 2022 Electoral Law, the only way to replace him is through voluntary retirement or death.