The Labour Party (LP) has denied reports making the rounds that its presidential candidate, Alhaji Usman Zaki has stepped down for President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the upcoming 2019 general elections.

A press statement issued by the party’s Director of Publicity and Media Strategy, Yinka Richards  said Zaki was very much still in the race, noting that the party’s flag-bearer would surprise many Nigerians in 2019 as he had embarked on grassroots mobilization across the country.

Richards frowned at the baseless report issued by one Sam Nwanti over the weekend, stressing that the rumours would not distract the party’s leadership and all its candidates in various elective positions from delivering on the programmes of the party when elected.

The statement read in part: “Our party frowns at speculations in the media over the weekend on the party’s decision to step down our aspiration to govern the country.

“We remain the only party which has the programme for the development of the people of Nigeria and we are determined to win the 2019 presidential election through the support of the masses of this country.”

He further maintained that Nwanti was not the party’s presidential candidate and  therefore not authorized to issue any statement in that capacity as he remained unknown to the party.