9th September, 2024
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
The crisis spawned by the struggle for control of Labour Party (LP) deepened further on Monday as the Julius Abure led faction of the party announced the withdrawal of the presidential ticket for the 2027 election it earlier said was exclusively reserved for former Anambra Governor, Peter Obi.
The Julius Abure-led faction of the party also said it had withdrawn the automatic ticket for a second term it had earlier announced for Alex Otti, the only governor elected on the platform of the party.
The faction therefore said its tickets for all positions in the 2027 general election would be available for contest.
The Abure faction of Labour Party announced this at the end of its National Executive Council, NEC meeting held on Monday in Abuja.
The NEC meeting was obviously called by the Abure faction in response to a meeting attended by Obi, Otti, and lawmakers elected on the platform of the party last week where a 29-man caretaker committee led former finance minister Nenadi Usman was appointed to lead the party in the interim.
The caretaker committee was saddled with the task of organising a process that will lead to the election of new leaders for the party within 90 days.
But the Abure faction nullified the decision taken at the stakeholders meeting convened by Otti in Umuahia in a communique it issued at the end of its meeting on Monday.
In the communique signed by Abure, and National Secretary, Umar Ibrahim, the Abure-led NEC maintained that there was no vacuum in the leadership of the party to warrant the appointment of the 29-member interim caretaker committee.
The Abure-faction said it conducted “its National Convention in line with its constitution, the Electoral Act and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on March 27, 2024, at Nnewi Anambra State.”
It also called on the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, “to stop aiding and abetting the Governor of Abia State Alex Otti to further cause damage to the party.
The faction said: “NEC in session also noted that His Excellency Alex Otti has constantly quoted the INEC Chairman as saying that the tenure of the officers of the party has expired, which His Excellency Alex Otti said has necessitated his calling of the meeting and setting up a Caretaker Committee.
“On the basis of the foregoing therefore, NEC in session hereby call on all teeming members, supporters and members of the general public to kindly disregard the so-called meeting and its outcome.”
“The NEC also reiterated confidence in the leadership of Abure led National Working Committee and urged all party members to continue to respect the leadership of the party and obey its lawful directives.
“It delegated its powers to fill vacant positions in the NWC and also approved the conduct of State, Local Government and Ward Congress as may be schedule by the National Working Committee in line with party’s Constitution and other Extant laws.
“NEC In session also approved the composition of the disciplinary committee as provided in Constitution.
“NEC in session also approved the review of some disciplinary actions taken against some members in the spirit of reconciliation.”
