‘Fictitious release’ — LP disowns statement claiming Oba of Lagos refused to meet Obi

The Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign council has denied issuing a statement that claimed Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos, refused to meet with Peter Obi.

The purported statement listed Akin Osuntokun, the director-general of LP campaign, as its signatory.

The statement claimed that Osuntokun said he “was told that Oba is not interested in seeing another presidential candidate except Bola Tinubu”.

However, the LP campaign director-general, in a statement on Monday, said he did not have any conversation of such nature with the Oba of Lagos or any of his representatives.

“I wish to clearly state that the fictitious release did not emanate from me, and I never had such a conversation with the revered Oba of Lagos or any of his representatives,” Osuntokun said.

“Please disregard the release at whatever it represents. Henceforth, please disregard any other release that does not originate from our campaign’s official communication channels.

“May I once again assure Nigerians that we will continue to run a campaign that is devoid of calumny, and by the grace of God we shall overcome.”

Meanwhile Dayo Ekong, Lagos LP chairperson, in an interview on Arise TV on Monday, said Obi made an attempt to visit the Oba of Lagos.

“If you’ve been following the trend of Obi’s campaign rally, he goes to the royal fathers. Obi made attempt to see the Oba of Lagos, but we were not able to see the Oba of Lagos,” she said.

“He didn’t get to the palace. You know normally, if he’s going to the palace, there should have been a pre-arrangement informing the Oba that he is on his way.

“In a situation where they say the Oba is not available, he is not going to go to an empty palace.”