Yohanna Margif, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Plateau, has dismissed claims that he had withdrawn from the gubernatorial race.

Mr Margif affirmed his candidacy in a letter by his counsel, Munir Abdullahi, addressed to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The letter described as “a sham and illegal”, a recent primary election allegedly held in Jos where his purported replacement emerged, insisting he remains the authentic candidate of the party ahead of the 2023 polls and distanced himself from a primary election that produced Dr Patrick Dakum as his replacement.

On June 9, Labour Party conducted a primary election at Retnan Hotel and Event Centre, Bukuru, Jos, where Mr Margif emerged as its candidate. But with the electoral law requiring him to withdraw his candidature before a replacement could be made, Mr Margif declared that he had not written any letter to that effect.

He explained that after the primary that produced him as the Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate in Plateau, a certificate of return was issued to him by the party’s national chairman, which confirmed him as the authentic standard bearer.

“We are, by this letter, notifying your commission that our client has not written any withdrawal letter or authorised any person to withdraw or substitute his name as candidate of the LP for Plateau 2023 governorship election in line with section 33 of the Electoral Act 2022,” said Mr Margif’s counsel.

The letter added, “We, therefore, wish to state that, having published the name of our client as the governorship candidate of the LP in Plateau for the 2023 general election, there is need for the party to strictly comply with provision of the Electoral Act 2022. In the event the party fails or neglects to comply with the provision of the Electoral Act 2022, we will have no option than to seek legal redress with its attendant cost.”

Mr Margif, in a recent press conference, declared that his emergence as the candidate had endeared many people to the Labour Party.

“I wish to state clearly that I have not, in any way, contemplated withdrawing from the 2023 governorship election, and I will not withdraw from the race. I am in the contest to win and give Plateau people good governance that will enthrone development,” Mr Margif declared. “I am not in the contest to withdraw, and the ticket of LP is not for sale. Those clamouring for it merely want to mislead gullible Plateau people and Nigerians because the slot is not vacant.”

He alleged threats to his life by people desperate for the Labour Party gubernatorial ticket but urged his supporters to disregard moves to substitute him.

Mr Margif said he would soon announce his campaign structures. 

(NAN)