The Labour Party, under the leadership of Julius Abure, has distanced itself from a meeting called by the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, on Wednesday, where former Minister Nenadi Usman was appointed as the chairperson of a 29-member caretaker committee.
Governor Otti had convened the stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia with the intention of resolving the leadership crisis currently affecting the party. The outcome of the meeting saw Usman selected as the chairperson, with Senator Darlington Nwokocha appointed as the secretary of the committee. The committee was tasked with overseeing the election of new party leaders within the next 90 days.
However, the Labour Party, through a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, declared the meeting illegal and urged Nigerians to disregard its outcome. Abure, in the statement, asserted that the meeting was not sanctioned by the party and did not represent its official stance or interests.
The statement clarified, “As stated in our earlier communications, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, along with others who gathered in Umuahia, has no authority under the Party Constitution, the Electoral Act, or the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to convene any Labour Party meeting.”
It went on to say, “A combined reading of these legal provisions makes it clear that the meeting in Umuahia is nothing more than a charade, wasting both time and the resources of the people of Abia State.”
Abure further criticized the foundation of Otti’s actions, stating, “The reason for Governor Alex Otti’s call for this meeting is not only flawed but also misleading. Government business is not conducted verbally but through official written communications and correspondence. As of now, there has been no communication from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the Labour Party objecting to the conduct of our National Convention.”
He challenged Otti to produce any official correspondence from INEC authorizing the actions taken, emphasizing, “There is no leadership vacuum within the Labour Party.”
As a result, the statement concluded that the caretaker committee formed by Governor Otti is not recognized by the party’s constitution, describing it as essentially a department within the Abia State Government House.
Additionally, the statement expressed surprise at the appointment of Nenadi Usman as chairperson, noting that she is not a registered member of the Labour Party. It was revealed that Usman only became involved with the party during Peter Obi’s presidential campaign, where she played a supporting role.
