The Labour Party (LP) is embroiled in a new internal crisis as Abia State governor, Alex Otti, has reportedly called for an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to address the tenure of the party’s national and other executive levels.
Otti’s move comes shortly after the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, invited him to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) if he intends to retain his seat in 2027.
Governor Otti reportedly communicated his decision to convene the NEC meeting on August 31 to the party’s national chairman, Julius Abure.
However, Abure, following a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC), stated that the governor does not have the constitutional authority to summon such a meeting.
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Abure briefed reporters on the situation, noting that the meeting was initially called by him and the national secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, to discuss Governor Otti’s intention to hold the NEC meeting. The governor’s plan reportedly aims to dissolve the National Executive Council, State Executive Council, Local Government Executive Council, and Ward Executive Council, based on the claim that their tenures have expired.
Abure dismissed Otti’s argument, stating that it was based on a mistaken interpretation of a correspondence with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which erroneously suggested that the executives’ tenures had expired.
“The NWC categorically states that there is no vacuum in the leadership of our party. The tenure of the executives is set to last until June 2024,” Abure said.
Abure reiterated that assuming without conceding that the NWC’s tenure had expired, it would not be Governor Otti’s responsibility to convene a NEC meeting to set up a caretaker committee.
He emphasised that such a responsibility lies with the national chairman and secretary, and that INEC would need to officially communicate any objections regarding the conduct of the convention or the expiration of tenures.
Abure cited examples of other political parties that had received official communications from INEC regarding similar issues, noting that the Labour Party had not received any such communication.
He highlighted that the national convention of the party was held on March 27, 2024, in Nnewi, Anambra State, with the governor represented by his deputy, who also chaired the convention committee.
Abure emphasised that key government officials from Abia State, including the deputy governor, commissioners, the Chief of Staff, and all LP state assembly members, were present at the convention. He also stressed that the convention adhered to all relevant laws, including the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the Labour Party Constitution.
“Article 14 of the LP Constitution stipulates that only the national chairman and the national secretary can convene meetings of the NWC, NEC, and national convention, or any other national meeting of the party,” Abure explained.
He further noted that in compliance with the Electoral Act, the party had issued proper notices to INEC for the March 2024 convention.
Abure also pointed out that the legitimacy of the March 27convention had been validated by a court in Abuja on June 16, 2024, which ruled that issues of leadership and the conduct of congresses and conventions are internal affairs of a political party.
“To suggest that there is a vacuum in the party’s leadership is not only mischievous but a deliberate attempt to create panic and disrupt the party’s operations,” Abure said.
He called on all party members to respect the party’s constitution and leadership, warning that any member who disobeys the party’s rules would face disciplinary action.
To this end, he said the NWC has established a 10-member Standing Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Barrister Kehinde Edun, the national legal adviser. Other members include Chief Clement Ojukwu, deputy national chairman; Dr Ayo Olorunfemi, deputy national chairman; Dudu M. Manuga, national women leader; Barrister Callistus Ihejiagwa, chairman of Imo State; Alhaji Raji Mohammed, chairman of Kano State; and Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, national secretary.
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