31st May, 2024
By Jethro Ibileke
There was drama on Friday, at a stakeholders meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), when factional chairmen of the Edo State chapter of the Labour Party (LP), introduced themselves to the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
The event was for INEC to meet with the leadership of the various political parties participating in the 21 September governorship election in the state.
The factional chairmen who struggled to introduce themselves were Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie and Kelly Ogbaloi.
The Julius Abure-led national leadership of the party, had on Monday, 27 May, dissolved the Kelly Ogbaloi-led executive committee in the state, and swore-in a caretaker committee, headed by Mrs Elizabeth Ativie.
Abure’s excuse was that the tenure of the dissolved committee had expired in the month of April, 2024.
The comic side of the meeting began when the chairmen of the parties present were called upon to introduced themselves. Interestingly, the parallel chairmen of the Labour Party sat beside themselves.
Mrs Ativie who was the first to introduce herself, said: “I am Right Honourable Elizabeth Uyimwen Ativie. By the grace of God, I am the youngest and the latest chairman in town, the Chairman of Labour Party, Edo State.”
As soon as she finished introducing herself, Mrs Ativie, in an attempt to give the microphone to the next person, stretched her hand beyond Ogbaloi who was next to her. The latter however grabbed the microphone from her to introduce himself.
Ogbaloi’s introduction went thus: “I am Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi (KSE), Chairman, Labour Party, Edo State.”
After the two chairmen introduced themselves, the hall roared in laughter. The same occurred during the interactive session.