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Tag: LP crisis

  • LP crisis: INEC, Baba-Ahmed present as Abure hosts NEC meeting

    LP crisis: INEC, Baba-Ahmed present as Abure hosts NEC meeting

    The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party (LP) has ratified the party’s Nnewi, Anambra State convention, preparing grounds for congresses at ward, local government and state levels.

    The NEC meeting was presided over by Julius Abure, National Chairman of the party yesterday at the party secretariat in Abuja.

    It was attended by members of the National and State Working Committees from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, and other stakeholders including the former Vice Presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 general election, Dr. Yusuf Baba Datti-Ahmed and a team of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by Rakiya Dattijo of the Election and Party Monitoring  (EPM) department.

    The NEC discussed the state of the party and plans for the future.

    In a communiqué signed by Abure and National Secretary, Umar Ibrahim, the party resolved among other things to uphold the outcome of the 2024 Nnewi National Convention which NEC said was in line with the Supreme Court decision which vested the party powers to decide on its leadership as part of its internal affairs.

    The communiqué read in part: “The NEC in session notes and recalls vividly the following Supreme Court pronouncements:

    “The reason for the non-justiciability of internal disputes of a political party is simple, and that is that in the eyes of the law, a political party is a corporate entity with its constitution, rules, regulations, and guidelines which are binding on members who have joined freely have consented to be so bound (See Abegunde Vs. Ondo State House of Assembly & Ors. (2025) LPELR-24588 (SC).)

    “Political Parties have put in place diverse kinds of internal dispute resolution mechanisms to handle any matter arising from disputes among members.

    Read Also: Tinubu, First Lady, Shetimma, hail PFN at 40

    “Political parties and their members should therefore have faith in the internal dispute resolution mechanisms prescribed in their party constitution.

    “Having subscribed to the membership of a Political party, a  member of a Political party has by his membership agreed to be bound by the constitution and the decision of the party contained in its guidelines.

     “So the Politician must comply with the provisions of the party constitution on how disputes over the internal affairs of the party can be resolved in keeping with the legal doctrine that the internal affairs of a Political party are non-justiceable and therefore not subject to the judicial powers of the courts..

     “Consequent upon the above, NEC in session reaffirmed those elected as National officers of the Party at the National Convention held in 2024 in Anambra State on the 27th of March 2024.”

     Those elected were the current 17 member National Working Committee which has Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Farouk as National Secretary, Chief Clement Ojukwu, Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi and Dr Esther Gulmu (Deputy National Chairmen) and Obiora Ifoh as National Publicity Secretary among others.

  • LP crisis: NLC joins forces with Nenadi against Abure

    LP crisis: NLC joins forces with Nenadi against Abure

    • Faction plans national convention in 90 days

    The Labour Party (LP) crisis took a new turn yesterday.

    Two of the three camps that are neck-deep in the supremacy battle – the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by Comrade Joe Ajaero and the National Caretaker Committee (NCC), led by Senator Esther Nenadi-Usman, joined forces against the National Working Committee (NWC), led by the factional Chairman, Julius Abure.

    Ajaero attended the LP stakeholders’ meeting presided over by Senator Nenadi-Usman in Abuja, where key resolutions geared towards the restructuring of the party were approved by the National Executive Council (NEC).

    The meeting was also attended by the representatives of Abia State Governor Alex Otti and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi.

    Also, at the meeting were: NLC General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja; Women Commission Chairperson Salamatou Aliu; Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman Comrade SOZ Ejiofor; Secretary, Comrade Salisu Mohammed and representatives of the  TUC President, General.

     It was the first meeting of the decision making organ after the Supreme Court’s judgment on the protracted leadership crisis.

    According to the communiqué, the NEC approved the expansion of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the processes that would lead to an all-inclusive national convention within 90 days.

    Other resolutions included the opening of a new national secretariat in Abuja, nationwide mobilisation of 10 million members within 30 days and the conduct of ward, local government, and state congresses, followed by delegate elections.

    READ ALSO: Seyi Tinubu and sirens of hypocrisy

    The communiqué reads: “NEC approved the expansion of the National Working Committee (NWC) structures, and the processes leading to the conduct of the All Inclusive And Expansive National Convention within 90 days in line with the consent judgment terms of settlement midwifed by INEC on 26th April 2022 and executed between the NLC and LP on  June 27, 2022.

     “These include the appointment of three (3) Deputy National Chairmen to Deputize the National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Esther Usman in the National Working Committee (NWC) transition government, National Caretaker Committee (NCC).

    “The appointment of three (3) Deputy National Secretaries to Deputize the National Secretary, Senator Darlington Nwokocha.

     “The appointment of the National Working Committee (NWC) members to fill vacancies in the National Working Committee (NWC) National Caretaker Committee (NCC)

     “The formation of Standing and Ad-hoc Committees and its membership to augment process of the congresses leading to the conduct of the all-inclusive and expansive National Convention within 90 days.

     “NEC approved the opening and operations of the new Labour Party (LP) National Secretariat in Abuja, FCT, immediately and to communicate same to INEC to enforce the shutting down of the old National Secretariat at No.2 IBM Haruna Street Utako District Abuja FCT immediately.

     “It will thereafter commence the immediate nationwide national mobilisation of ten million (10,000,000) members into the party data base within thirty (30) days; the deployment of online registration for membership with issuance of downloadable  membership cards with unique identification number system and hard copies; the revalidation of old membership with issuance of downloadable membership cards with unique identification number system and hard copies, the ratification of membership with payment of annual membership subscription dues of N1,200 only; and the registration of Support Group and issuance of downloadable Support Group Registration Certificates with  unique identification number systems.”

  • LP crisis: Abure, Obi allegedly plot Otti’s expulsion

    LP crisis: Abure, Obi allegedly plot Otti’s expulsion

    In a new twist to the ongoing crisis within the Labour Party, the embattled National Chairman, Julius Abure and former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have reportedly joined forces to orchestrate the removal of Abia Governor Alex Oti from the party.

    The plot, allegedly driven by a series of accusations levelled against the Governor, comes amid mounting internal conflicts threatening to fracture the already divided party.

    Sources close to the Abure-led faction confirmed this latest maneuver is rooted in suspicions that Gov Oti is working with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and lending his support to President Bola Tinubu, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

    “It is reported that the core  the dispute centers around an allegation that Gov. Oti, who is the only Labour Party Governor in Nigeria, recently made a controversial statement suggesting that, in his bid for a second term, it would be only fair to support President Tinubu’s aspiration for a second tenure.

    “This remark alleged to have made by Gov. Oti during a private visit to President Tinubu last week, has reportedly set off alarm bells within the Labour Party leadership, which perceives such sentiments as a betrayal of the party’s ideals and an overt attempt to align with the ruling APC.

    “In response, Abure and Obi, both of whom are reportedly displeased by Oti’s stance, are said to have united in an effort to expel him from the party in order to preserve its integrity and to prevent a potential defection,” the sources added.

    The duo was said to have also accused Oti of using the formation of the Labour National Caretaker Committee as a gimmick to influence Obi to support the removal of Abure from office.

    Sources also stated that Peter Obi is expected to meet with the Abure led National Working Committee (NWC) sometimes within the week to finalise plans to rid the party of Oti.

    The meeting, which is expected to be high-stakes, will likely chart the next course of action, including formalising plans to electronically register 20million Labour Party members and file charges of anti-party activities against the Governor.

    This clandestine plot, however, appears to be part of a broader strategy to consolidate control over the party, as Abure and Obi are both keen to ensure that Oti’s alleged ties to the APC do not further jeopardize Labour Party’s future prospects.

     Interestingly, Abure had always maintained a public posture that suggests he was in disagreements with Obi. However, facts have emerged he has been working secretly with Obi underground to relaunch the crisis ridden Labour Party for 2027 elections.

    Read Also: LP crisis: Abure blasts Otti for calling for fresh national convention

    Although, Gov. Oti, on his part, has yet to publicly address the accusations levelled against him. Sources within his camp suggest that he remains resolute in his stance, emphasising that his comments about supporting President Tinubu for a second term were made in the interest of his own political future.

    As a Governor seeking re-election, Oti reportedly believes that securing the support of the current administration is a pragmatic step to ensure his political survival, especially given the challenges he face. However, this political calculus has not gone down well with the leadership of the Labour Party, which views such gestures as a direct threat to its ideological foundation.

    As the political drama unfolds, the question remains: will Gov. Oti be able to weather the storm and retain his position as the only Labour Party Governor in Nigeria or will Abure and Obi succeed in orchestrating his ouster?

    The coming days will be critical, and all eyes are now on the Labour Party’s National Working Committee and its leadership to see how they handle this explosive crisis.