Labour party aggrieved by exclusion from inter part debate

The Labour Party (LP) in Ondo State has protested the exclusion of its gubernatorial candidate, Olusola Ebiseni, from a live debate organized by Channels Television ahead of the November 16 election. The debate is set to feature candidates from the ruling APC and PDP.

The LP’s Director of Publicity criticized the TV station for potentially misleading the public regarding the political landscape and the qualifications of candidates in the election. They pointed out that Channels Television, along with host Seun Okinbaloye, has previously held gubernatorial debates in Ondo State in 2012, 2016, and 2020, consistently including multiple candidates without using subjective criteria to limit participation.

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The LP emphasized its historical significance, noting that it was the first political party since 1999 to serve two terms in Ondo State from 2009 to 2017, with both Ebiseni and Adedayo Awude having held commissioner positions. They described the LP as the immediate predecessor to the current APC administration and as one of the largest political parties in Nigeria, countering what they termed a politically biased advertisement by Channels.

The party asserted its readiness to participate in the debate, even at the last minute, while expressing concerns that Channels may be facilitating a biased outcome for the Ondo State election by underestimating the capabilities of various political parties and their candidates. They called for Channels to uphold its reputation and reconsider the debate if fairness cannot be ensured for all participants, urging the network to postpone the event.