by Godwin Akanfe

Tunde Olatunji, the Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), in Osun State, has declared that members of the party in the state will not emulate the recent defection of Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to the Peoples Democratic Party.

Olatunji made the statement on Friday, 3 October, in Osogbo, where he said that members of the party in Osun would not hop aboard the PDP train, because Mimiko was not the reason they joined LP.

He said, “We are not joining the PDP. No way! We came to the LP on our own. We didn’t join the LP because of Mimiko. We came to join the party and not to join Mimiko. His exit from the party does not mean everybody will follow him to his new party. We have nothing to do with the PDP or the APC. We remain in the LP. And nothing is shaking us.”

Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Osun State, Fatai Akinabde, had earlier stated that Mimiko’s departure from the LP would not be the end of the party.

Akinbade had accused Mimiko of not offering him financial support during the governorship election of 9 August, which was won by incumbent Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, while also adding that the LP would continue to exist even if Mimiko left the party.

“The Labour Party has been existing before Mimiko joined it and I believe the party will continue to exist if he leaves. His exit does not mean the end of the LP. Some of us here will not leave the party if Mimiko defects, and I know the same is true for so many others in other states,” he said.

Kolapo Olapoju