• Leave party politics, focus on governance, Abure tells Abia gov
• Party set up committee to sanction errant members

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party (LP) has rejected Abia State Governor Alex Otti’s plan to dissolve the party’s national, state, local council and ward executives, alleging expired tenures.

At a briefing in Abuja, yesterday, National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, said during a recent meeting, the sole governor of LP, Otti, stated his intention to convene a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Saturday, August 31.

He quoted Otti as saying the meeting was to dissolve the NEC, State Executive Council (SEC), local council and ward executive councils on the purported ground that their tenures had expired.

Abure warned Otti to focus on governance and cease meddling in the administration of the party.

Otti reportedly heeded a recent call by the former treasurer of the party, Oluchi Opara, for leaders of the party, especially elected members that are statutory delegates, to wake up and save the party from an impending disaster.

She spoke against the backdrop of a reply by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to an application for a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the monitored report of the LP Convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, for which the commission said it did not monitor; hence, could not report on it.

According to Opara, the tenure of Abure as National Chairman of the party elapsed since June; therefore any action by him and other members of the NWC will be null and void forthwith.

She said: “The tenure expired in June 2023, but was extended by one year in Asaba by the NEC.”

INEC had disowned LP’s National Convention held in Nnewi almost immediately.

In a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting, NWC rejected Otti’s move, stating that “there is no vacuum in the party’s leadership and that the tenure of the executives was to last till June 2024. The party’s national convention was held on March 27, 2024, in Anambra, where new executives were elected.”

The NWC accused Otti of attempting to disrupt the party’s smooth operation and urged members to respect the party’s constitution and leadership. A standing disciplinary committee has been set up to address any further infraction.

The party also noted that INEC had not officially communicated any objection to the convention or the tenure of the executives. It emphasised LP as a party for the people, not controlled by one person, and that its ideology and principles must be maintained.

The development came amid pending court cases challenging the party’s convention and leadership. The NWC called on INEC to maintain neutrality and work with the recognised leadership until the courts decide otherwise.

Abure lamented that it was bad enough for the party to endure criticism and persecution from those seeking to tear it apart, without having to contend with its chieftains, members and stakeholders following the same path.

He stated that it was not within the governor’s purview to dissolve the exco, while announcing to journalists that the NWC had established a disciplinary committee to henceforth sanction errant members or bigwigs who make decisions that could undermine the party.

The 10-man Standing Disciplinary Committee comprising Kehinde Edun (National Legal Adviser) as Chairman, Clement Ojukwu and Ayo Olorunfemi (deputy national chairmen), Dudu Manuga (National Women Leader), Callistus Ihejiagwa (LP Chairman, Imo), Raji Mohammed (LP Chairman, Kano) and Umar Farouk Ibrahim (National Secretary), who is also Secretary of the committee.

“The NWC also notes that assuming without conceding that the tenure of the current NWC has even expired, we must state clearly that it is not the responsibility of Otti, as the governor of Abia, to convene a NEC meeting to set up a caretaker committee. It is still the responsibility of the national chairman and the national secretary of the party to convene such a meeting.

“We appeal to our colleagues to concentrate on governance and allow us to handle party affairs. Consequently, the national leadership will not hesitate to discipline any member who is not ready to obey the party’s constitution and the lawful directives of the leadership. It states unequivocally that there is no vacuum in the leadership of our party,” he added.

The chairman said the laws of the land, including the 1999 Constitution, Electoral Act 2022, LP Constitution and other laws were adhered to in convening the Nnewi Convention.

He added, “Article 14 of the LP Constitution provides that it is only the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the party who can convene the meetings of the NWC, NEC and National Convention or any other national meeting of the party.”