The National Deputy Campaign Manager, Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Engr David Balami, has faulted reports speculating he will replace Doyin Okupe as Director General of the campaign.
Reports had emerged that Balami is next on the line after Okupe’s resignation as the DG of the campaign council.
In a statement signed by his Media aide, Olusegun Dosunmu, Balami vehemently condemned the publications.
He described the publication with the caption ‘Labour Party May Announce Isaac Balami as Okupe’s Replacement’ as fallacious, baseless and false.
The statement reads in part: “The General public may wish to take note and DISREGARD a false publication with the title: “Labour Party May Announce Isaac Balami as Okupe’s Replacement.”
“My attention has been drawn to this fallacious and very disturbing news with the caption above making the rounds, especially on social media.
“I wish to hereby address the report with the above headline as completely false and baseless. It is a deliberate falsehood against my person and office in the present political dispensation!
” It was calculated to serve the selfish and dastardly intentions of certain remote persons aiming to distract and derail the cohesion so far responsible for the unending successes of the Labour Party’s campaigns across Nigeria.
“This allegation, a false representation of my personality is not only spurious but malicious. A calculated attempt to pitch me and my office against my superiors and my fellow hard working campaign council members, whom I have always had the utmost regard and love for.
“This news is a piece from mischief makers who think they can derail our great Labour Party and also diminish the influence of the next President of Nigeria, His Excellency, Mr Peter Obi by attacking the unity of purpose of his campaign team working hard to make Nigeria great again.
“I MUST, therefore, and hereby, unequivocally reiterate that I am NOT interested in the office of the Director General of the Obi/Datti Presidential campaign.
“I am only here to serve in the only role assigned to me by my superiors, of whom our DG, Dr. Doyin Okupe is foremost even as a father and a guiding light; one whose experience has been a light to me feet and a beacon of direction to me!
“This statement MUST therefore lay to rest the fabricated lies and insinuations that have thus fallen short being weak and untimely: our strong family bond in the Labour Party will ONLY grow stronger and more intentional – our focus on victory will never shift!”
He also warned that, “All who intend to repeat or continue the publication of spurious and unfounded stories and allegations against either my person and office or against anyone for that matter in the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council SHOULD desist from this forthwith!
“Anyone sponsoring these selfishly motivated and deliberate campaign of calumny aimed at causing disaffection amongst our presidential campaign council has failed and has hereby been WARNED!”
However, he pledged his loyalty to the party and promised to play an integral role to actualize the Obi-Datti presidency come 2023.
“I would like to appreciate everyone who reached out to me to speedily dispel this falsehood and cowardice!
“I remain committed to playing an integral role in enthroning a credible government in 2023 and I cannot be more certain that only the LABOUR PARTY, with the our great team of patriots in the campaign team, can make this happen”, he added.