The newly appointed Director General (DG) of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the Labour Party (LP), Akin Osuntokun, has reacted to claims that he’s still a member of Zenith Labour Party before and after taking up his appointment with LP.
Recall that the erstwhile acting Publicity Secretary of Labour Party, Dr Abayomi Arabambi had kicked against Osuntokun’s appointment.
He said Osuntokun cannot be trusted with such a position because of many factors which included, divided loyalty, deliberate falsehood and political infraction, noting that Osuntokun is the Senatorial Candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), representing Ekiti Central Senatorial district.
Reacting to the alleged conflict of interest and allegiance to ZLP, Osuntokun said he has dropped his senatorial ambition to support a more worthy and superior political cause.
He said “No. I’ve abandoned it if that is what you want to say. The campaign office has issued a press release in that respect. The question you should ask is this, what law have I breached in accepting the appointment? What law has the presidential candidate who appointed me breached in appointing me?
“I can’t help anybody who wants to pursue notoriety as a way of life. The man who is doing this is supposedly the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party (Abayomi Arabambi). Ask him, why would a National Publicity Secretary of a party do that to his own party?
“It’s a redundant question. It’s of no consequence at all, whether legally or constitutionally. There is no moral burden at all. Joining the Obi campaign, for me, is a higher national priority than any other aspiration.”
Osuntokun however noted that he is no longer a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), arguing that a party’s campaign organisation must not be confused with the party hierarchy.
“There is a sense of deja vu; when I was appointed the director of publicity by President Obasanjo in 2022, I was not a member of PDP. But once I assume the office, then of course effectively, I’ve become a member of the Labour Party. So, to that extent, I’m a member,” he said.