•Nenadi and Abure
None of the four people laying claim to the leadership of troubled Labour Party (LP) enjoys recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the commission clarified yesterday.
The quartet of Julius Abure; Senator Nenadi-Usman; Lamidi Apapa and the Political Commission of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), have been battling to control the party, reports The Nation.
But the electoral umpire clarified yesterday that it has not given recognition to either the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) or the National Caretaker Committee (NCC), headed by Mrs. Usman.
The Commission stated that it was still studying the Supreme Court judgment on the leadership crisis between the two factions.
The apex court had ruled that the leadership squabble is a matter that should be resolved by the party.
Two days ago, the Julius Abure faction announced the suspension of the only LP governor, Alex Otti of Abia State, Senator Ireti Kingibe and three members of the House of Representatives – Afam Victor Ogene, Amobi Godwin Ogah and Seyi Sowunmi – for alleged anti-party activities.
However, the Caretaker chairman, who rejected the suspension, set up a panel to probe allegations of financial misconduct against the NWC.
Also faulting the suspension, the LP Caucus in the House of Representatives said Abure was bent on leading the party to extinction.
A statement by Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, said the electoral agency would make a pronouncement on the leadership crisis in the LP and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He clarified that the a final decision on the crises would be taken after diligently studying the court judgment.
The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to some media reports claiming that the Commission has recognised certain persons as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the Labour Party (LP).
“The reports also inferred that the Commission has restored a particular individual as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), referring to the listings on the Commission’s official website.
“However, the reports are false and misleading. The Commission has not made any decision in respect of either the LP or PDP.
“The names of the national officers of the LP had previously been uploaded to our website following a court order, not related in any way to the latest judgement of the Supreme Court.
“In the same manner, the name of the National Secretary of the PDP on the same website was neither deleted nor reinstated.
“As a law abiding institution, the Commission is carefully studying the judgement of the Supreme Court on the Labour Party and will communicate its decision to the public in due course.”
Abure plotting LP’s disintegration, says Reps caucus
The three LP federal lawmakers accused Abure of plotting the destruction of the party, warning that his activities could lead to disintegration of the platform.
In a statement in Abuja, Ogene, Ogah and Sowunmi said their purported suspension was “laughable,” adding that it underscores a desperate attempt by a “dethroned emperor” to cling to power.
In the statement titled: “Our former National Chairman goes mad again, the lawmakers expressed shock that rather than work for the unity of the party, Abure was orchestrating its disintegration to appease external forces driving his actions.
“The statement reads: “It is now evidently clear to everyone who has followed recent events in the Labour Party that our former national chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, is in a desperate move not to go down alone.
“It’s utterly absurd that Abure, who failed to demonstrate moral integrity during his tenure as national chairman, now claims the authority to sanction party leaders. Only in Abure’s distorted reality can those with questionable character judge others.
“In the real world, his Supreme Court-nullified leadership status has reduced him to a self-serving, shameless impostor driven by personal gain. A political party is set up for the specific goal of participating in the democratic process, especially the contestation for power.
“Since the Peter Obi effect of 2023, what has Abure and his gang of undertakers done to enhance the fortunes of the party? In fact, we challenge him and his cohorts to no one single individual of note that they have attracted to the party since 2023.
“From Kogi to Bayelsa, Ondo to Edo, what Abure has done is lead the Party to disastrous outcomes. All they have excelled in, is run the party as a criminal enterprise, fleecing aspirants of hard-earned cash in exchange for party ticket.
“Even in his native Edo, where he was dragged on the floor like a common felon because of disputations over misappropriated delegate funds, the over-bloated and egoistic Abure couldn’t even win his polling unit for the party.
“Pained of being kicked out of his lucrative position as national chairman, on account of abuse of official malfeasance, Abure and his gang of jesters have resorted to desperate antics in a bid to stay relevant.
“Which self-respecting national chairman of a political party busies himself running around media houses like a press boy? The last time around, it was announcing the sack and replacement of Hon. Ogene as caucus leader, but when that didn’t work, he has resorted to contriving a fake suspension order.
“Abure has appointed himself as a willing undertaker for the destruction of the soul of the Labour Party but ironically, he is only supervising the burial plan of his image and integrity as a public servant and political leader. We wish him well.”
