The Labour Party (LP) in Ondo State has condemned the restriction of the state governorship debate to the candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The debate which is being organised by the Channels Television will take place on Sunday at the International Culture and Event Centre (The Dome), Akure, the state capital.
The director of publicity of the LP campaign organisation, Olu Johnson Egbodofo, in a statement on Sunday said the party and its candidate were available for this debate even at the eleventh hour.
Egbodofo wondered why the television station could describe Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of APC and Agboola Ajayi of PDP as the leading candidates and exclude other contestants on the basis of the description.
He said: “The attention of Labour Party and its candidates in the Ondo State Governorship Election scheduled for the 16th day of November 2024 have been drawn to an advert by Channels Television of its planned live debate on Sunday 3rd November 2024 for candidates of the ruling APC and PDP which Channels ill-advisedly described as “the two leading candidates in the election.
“As a media friendly Organisation and personalities, we took immediate steps to contact CHANNELS and its officials, particularly Seun Okinbaloye who is the anchor of the debate not to use the station’s authoritative media status to mislead but accord the people of Ondo State and the Station’s global audience the opportunities of fair assessment of the status of the political parties and quality of the candidates for the election.
“From Friday 25th October, our gubernatorial candidate, Chief Olusola Nehemiah Ebiseni contacted several officials of Channels, particularly Seun Okinbaloye, who expressed regrets for the exclusion of Labour Party and promised to make amends throughout the week for which reason all legal and public actions against this obviously compromised debate were kept in abeyance.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, Channels and Seun Okinbaloye have organised Governorship candidate’s debate in Ondo State in 2012, 2016 and 2020 for not less than 3 candidates at any point and at no time was the subjective and unfair terms of “leading candidates” with a view to manipulate the choices of the people, ever used to determine participation.
“For the avoidance of any doubt Labour Party is the first political party since 1999 to have been voted two terms and administered Ondo State from 2009 to 2017 in which outstanding Government Chief Olusola Ebiseni and Adedayo Awude its Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates in this election were Commissioners.
“Labour Party is the immediate predecessor of the present APC administration in Ondo State and one of the largest parties in Nigeria today contrary to the deliberate politically injurious advert by Channels.
“We are proud to say that from Adekunle Ajasin, Bamidele Olumumilua, Adebayo Adefarati, Olusegun Agagu, Olusegun Mimiko and Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the intellectual pedigree and capacity of candidates has been a strong determinant of the governor of Ondo State by elections, for which reason parties not sure of their candidates have in the past advised such ill-prepared candidates to avoid debates even organised by Channels.
“We wish to let the world know that our party and candidates are available for this debate, even at this eleventh hour.
“We are still sceptical that Channels will lend itself to the deliberate rigging of the Ondo State Governorship Election by pre-judging the capacities of political parties and their candidates.
“If it cannot be fair to the parties, candidates and give the people of Ondo State fair opportunities to choose their leaders, let Channels respect its reputation and put this charade of a debate on hold.”