By Oguwuike Nnadi
Embattled National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure has raised the alarm as officers of the Nigeria Police allegedly led thugs in occupy the national headquarters of the Labour Party in Abuja on Thursday
A statement by the party’s national Chairman, Barr. Julius Abure reported that the invaders who he alleged were acting on the orders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)were armed and reportedly pulled down the fences, burglaries, doors and window to have access to the party’s national secretariat and in the process sacked workers and party members who were at the party as they ran for their safety.
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It was however gathered that development led to the takeover of the secretariat by some members of the National Working Committee of the Labour Party (LP) led by the Deputy National Chairman (South) Lamidi Apapa, who said to have taken over the affairs of the party following a court judgment restraining Julius Abure and three others from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
Lamidi Apapa and his group held an emergency meeting of the LP National Working Committee (NWC), same Thursday, where declared himself the Acting National Chairman of the party while Saleh Lawan is the Acting National Secretary.
Speaking to journalsist after the meeting, Apapa said Abure and the three others sacked former NWC members must vacate the order of the Federal High Court retraining them before further action can be taken on the leadership of the party.
Speaking further, Apapa revealed further that NWC also reviewed the suspension of party members and exco that have earlier been suspended by the party leadership, Eragbe Anslem as the National Youth Leader and Yomi Arabambi
Also the three other officials who restrained by the court along with Abure were replaced by Alh. Saleh Lawal- Acting National Secretary, Rawland Daramola- Acting Treasurer, and Prince Reuben Favour – Acting Organising Secretary.
“The NWC equally reviewed that recently there are some cases of suspensions that were badly handled. And this National Working Committee meeting as reviewed them, and the suspension all over are hereby reviewed and the officers are reinstated.
“With effect from now, the so called officers whose the court had barred should not parade themselves as officers of the party until cases against them are treated or handled by the party”, Apapa stated.
He equally denied the allegation that the party has been invaded by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the current leadership believes extensively in the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi.
The emergence NWC meeting also reinstated Executive Council members from Ogun State, Rivers State, and Gombe State.
During the meeting, Lamidi also reversed the suspension of Eragbe Anslem as the National Youth Leader and Yomi Arabambi as the National Publicity Secretary, who were suspended by the Abure led group of the party
Reacting to the development, Abure said, “Though, I was out of town but information has it that the agenda of the invaders was to inaugurate an illegitimate executive which has been chosen for them by their sponsors.
“This incident is coming days after a similar invasion in our Imo state secretariat which up till now is still being occupied by the agents of the Imo state government.
Continuing, Abure said, “A court of competent jurisdiction only yesterday ordered that I, Julius Abure remains the National Chairman, and should not be restrained from performing my duties, it therefore baffles me why the Nigerian Police should allow itself to be used to perpetrate illegalities.
“Only yesterday, our Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi through the Presidential Campaign Council alerted Nigerians of plot to hound him out of the country over APC’s covert plot in collaboration with some security agents to frame him up allegedly on matters bothering on treason.
“Labour Party is only a political party which is contesting for power. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC having conducted election ranked us third, a position we have rejected and have approached the Tribunal to contest. That is our only offence”.
Abure called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call his party, the APC to order and also rein then in from using unorthodox means to suffocate political structures in Nigeria.
NASS leadership: APC chairman kicks as candidates woo NWC with trucks of rice, sugar
By Oguzie Nnadi
The National Vice Chairman of the ruling All Progress Congress (APC), Salihu Moh Lukman has condemned what he described as the bribing of National Working Committee (NWC) members with truck loads of rice and sugar as Nigerian prepare for the celebration of Easter and Salah
Lukman said on Thursday that the APC national secretariat in Abuja has been turned into a warehouse as candidates vying for the various leadership positions of the upcoming 10th National Assembly have taken the opportunity of the coming festive period to woo the National Working Committee (NWC) ahead of the June inauguration of the assembly
Sources close to the party confirmed that the offloading trucks, which have caused a mild traffic jam along the street were courtesy of the numerous candidate s to the 10th National Assembly leadership positions, who the source said are stopping at nothing to lobby the party’s NWC for support, and zone the various offices to their zones
So far, about eight candidates have declared interest for the Senate presidency, while four have also declared interest for Speaker of the House of Representatives
For the Senate President position, four former governors, Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Abdul Aziz Yari (Zamfara) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) have declared interest, while Senators Jibrin Barau, Osita Izunaso, Mohammed Sani Musa and Mohammed Ali Ndume are also in the race
Lukman, regretted that some aspirants contesting various positions to the 10th National Assembly leadership have started bribing party leaders with bags of Rice and Sugar.
He however, called for an ethical code that would automatically disqualify any lawmaker who is involved in such attempt to bribe his way into becoming the next Senate President or Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The former Director General of the APC Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), said it is disrespectful to think that the current NWC can be bribed, adding that such unsolicited gesture is unethical and will no longer be tolerated in a progressive party like the APC.
The Kaduna state born politician warned the senators and House Representatives candidates to note that the APC is yet to zone and of the principal offices thay are currently eyeing, even as he noted that the NWC is aware that some Senators and House of Representatives members have intensified their lobby of colleagues and stakeholders of the party with impunity
He said: “I want to appeal to our leaders and my colleagues in the NWC. We have to take every step to stop some unethical conduct in the party. As things are, it is so worrisome that people who are aspiring for positions in the leadership of the National Assembly are reaching out to members of the NWC in an unethical way. I don’t think that is right. At least two Senators, unfortunately from my zone, who are aspiring for the position of Senate President, have sent bags of Rice and bags of Sugar.
“Another member of House of Representatives, also from my zone, aspiring for the position of Speaker of the House, I learnt has also sent bags of rice to individual members. As of today, we have not yet taken decision on zoning for offices in the party. And I think it’s wrong for leaders at the level we are talking about to engage in unethical conduct.
“I think it’s disrespectful to just think that we can be bribed. I think our leaders, notably the chairman and the national secretary, should rise to the occasion by stopping this unethical practice. Because if they don’t give the permission, I don’t see why bags of rice and bags of sugar will enter the secretariat and even get distributed.”
