On Friday, March 17, 2023, a press release allegedly issued by the Lagos chapter of the Labour Party (LP), claiming the party had ditched Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour as its guber candidate in the state, went viral.

This release claimed the party had decided to adhere to a court ruling, and would now field Ifagbemi Awamaridi as its candidate.

It contained the signature of Sam Okpala, secretary of the party in Lagos State.

This release was shared in the image format on social media in the evening of Friday, and was seen by thousands of people.

CLAIM: The LP issued a press release saying its guber candidate in Lagos State was no longer Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour but Ifagbemi Awamaridi.

VERIFICATION: FIJ called Sam Okpala, the Lagos State secretary of the LP, in whose name the letter was signed, and he said the letter was false.

Okpala said, “It is not true. There is no press release; that is false news.”

CONCLUSION: The allegation of the Labour Party changing its Lagos gubernatorial candidate is false.