Labour Party (LP) chieftain and Edo State 2024 governorship candidate, Olumide Apata, has strongly denied rumours that he has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the claims as false, laughable, and utterly mischievous.

In a statement released on Tuesday and shared on his verified X account, Apata dismissed the reports as fabrications designed to mislead the public and sow confusion among his supporters.

“In the past 24 hours, a malicious, mischievous, and utterly false rumour has been concocted in the dark alleys of social media, and unfortunately amplified by mischief-makers, alleging that I, Olumide Osaigbovo Apata, have abandoned the Labour Party … to join the All Progressives Congress (APC). This is not only false but laughable,” he said.

The former president of the Nigerian Bar Association said he had never contemplated, discussed, or initiated any move to join the APC, stressing that he remains firmly committed to the Labour Party. “For the avoidance of doubt, I have no intention of ever joining the APC. I remain firmly and unapologetically committed to the Labour Party and the ideals and principles it represents,” he declared.

Apata noted that social media had become a breeding ground for falsehoods, adding that the scale of concern expressed by family, friends, and political associates compelled him to issue a public rebuttal. “Ordinarily, my first instinct would have been to ignore the rumours and go about my business. However, the sheer volume of calls and messages I have received … has made it imperative that I issue this statement,” he explained.

Reiterating his loyalty to the Labour Party, Apata urged supporters to disregard “unfounded rumours” and warned against the dangers of misinformation in an era of deepfakes and online disinformation. “No matter how many times a lie is shared, it will never become the truth,” he said.

Apata joined the Labour Party in March 2023 and contested the Edo governorship election in September 2024, where he ran as the party’s flagbearer. (The Guardian)