The decision of Abia State Governor, Alex Otti to convene a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Labour Party, to dissolve the current leadership of the party has been countered by the National Working Committee (NWC) of party.
Otti who is the only governor elected on the platform of Labour Party, recently met with the national chairman of the party, Julius Abure where he disclosed his intent to convene a NEC meeting on Saturday, August 31.
The governor argued that the tenure of the party’s current leadership had expired long ago.
But the National Working Committee, NWC of the party in a meeting on Tuesday, countered the move, stating that there is no “vacuum in the leadership of our Party”.
The NWC explained that Abure’s first tenure expired on June 2024 after which a National Convention of the Party was held on March 27, 2024 at which he was relected.
He went furter to describes as mischief makers those who insist that the tenure of the present executives of the party has expired.
“Therefore, for any person(s), group or agency to speculate that the tenures of the current executives have expired, is not only mischievous but a deliberate attempt to put the Party in comatose.
“The National Working Committee notes that the National Convention of the Party held on the 27th of March 2024 has been validated by a court of competent jurisdiction of the Federal Republic of Nigeria sitting in Abuja on the 16th day of June, 2024 when it held that issues of leadership, conduct of congresses and convention are internal affairs of a political party.
“It is our view that for anybody to hold the opinion that there is a vacuum in the leadership of the Party, is not only mischievous but a deliberate attempt to cause panic, chaos and to disrupt the smooth working of our Party.
In a statement, the party questioned why Governor Otti, who was ably represented by his Deputy at the convention that took place in Nnewi, Anambra State is still calling for the dissolution of leadership.
“The NWC must also state in addition, that the Labour Party is different from other Political Parties in the sense that it is not a party that is controlled by one man, woman or leader; neither is it a party that can be put in the pocket of one person.
“It is a party for the generality of the people. For these reasons, it was possible to record the successes it made in the 2023 general election.
“The outlook of the party made it possible for people like Dr Alex Otti to use the platform and win in 2023 after trying and failing in APC, PDP and even APGA. Therefore, the ideology, principles, ideals and outlook of the party must be maintained”, the statement added.
The LP boss further threathened to sanction any party member that steps out of the line no matter how highly placed.
The national leadership of the party warned “that it will not hesitate to discipline any member of the Party who is not ready to obey the Constitution of the Party and indeed, obey the lawful directive of the leadership of the Party”
The party went further to constitute a Disciplinary committee that will recomend appropriate sanctions to erring party memebers.
The committee comprises Barrister Kehinde Edun, Chief Clement Ojukwu, Ayo Olorunfemi, Dudu M. Manuga, Barrister Callistus Ihejiagwa, Raji Mohammed, and Umar Farouk Ibrahim.
