By Temitope Adedeji
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the new Director General of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council (LP-PPC), Akin Osuntokun, remains a senatorial candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)
Osuntokun, before he was appointed the LP campaign DG, was a candidate of the ZLP for Ekiti Central Senatorial district.
Osuntokun had in a television programme, said he had “abandoned” his senatorial bid under the ZLP to accept the LP campaign DG, a position he described as a “higher calling”.
But, the National Commissioner, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, on Friday, said Osuntokun remains the ZLP senatorial candidate as the period for withdrawal and substitution of candidates had passed.
“He remains the candidate of the Zenith Labour Party. The window for withdrawal and substitution based on our timetable and the electoral act 2022 has closed. No candidate can withdraw, and none can come in except through a court order,” Okoye said.
On Osuntokun’s appointment as LP Director General, Okoye said “the issue of party appointments remains within the domestic realm of the parties and the commission has nothing to do with it.”
