The crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) has taken a new twist as the Edo State chapter of the party Friday suspended the embattled National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, over alleged anti-party activities.
A letter of suspension dated May 14, 2024, and another letter of ratification dated May 15, 2024, both of which were ratified at a meeting of the state executive committee on Friday night in Benin, said that the suspension is with immediate effect.
The letters show that Abure has been suspended from the party in Ward 3 in Arue-Uromi, in Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State for alleged high-handedness and anti-party activities.
However, in a swift reaction, the national publicity secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, told Daily Trust that he was aware of the development and that the action of the antagonists could not stand, being against the LP Constitution.
The executives who suspended Abure said their action was consequent upon a rigorous deliberation by members of the ward who cited the later’s “high-handedness and anti-party activities in the administration of the party and other myriads of allegations of fraud levelled against you, which are (currently) under investigation.”
“While the suspension is with immediate effect, you are advised to restrain from holding out or parading yourself a member of Labour party, Ward 3, Arue, Uromi in Ean North-East LGA, Edo State,” the letter read.
The letter of suspension was signed by the Ward Chairman, Thompson Ehiguese and Ward Secretary, Stanley Usiomoh.
Also, the letter of ratification of his suspension was forwarded to the State Executive Committee of the party through the State Chairman by the Local Government Chairman of the party in Esan North-East, Patrick Onogbeni and LGA Secretary, Ehikioya Eromosele.
The letters read in parts, “The LGA Executive met today, 15th of May, 2024 about 12 noon, to consider the matters presented on the suspension and accordingly found them weighty and the suspension ratified and upheld.
“The state executive committee considered the letters, together with the issues contained therein, and ratified Abure’s suspension.
“With the ratification of his suspension, the basis of his chairmanship of the party at the national level has been vitiated, and by implication, he stands suspended as the party’s national chairman.”
They can’t suspend Abure -Ifoh
Ifoh said that the 2019 Labour Party constitution Article 17 subsection 1 is clear that only the National Convention convened solely for the purpose of removal of the National Chairman with a two-thirds majority can suspend or remove the chairman.
“The ward, LG or even the state have no power to suspend the National Chairman. An Edo High Court has also ruled on this matter. Also, an Appeal Court has ruled on this matter.
“This dimension is a continuation of the attack on the person of Abure as witnessed during the governorship primaries. It will also amount to nothing and we are not perturbed,” Ifoh said.
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