The crisis in Labour Party (LP) seems to be getting messier with Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) objecting to the call by the Labour Party’s only elected Governor, Alex Otti, for the dissolution of the NWC to make way for a fresh national convention.
The March 27 convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State where Abure and other NWC members were re-elected, had factionalised the party leading to the Political Commission of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) setting up National Transition Committee (NTC), to organise an all-inclusive convention.
At a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Abure disclosed that Otti who is the Governor of Abia State, intimated him at a meeting with him, of his intention to convene a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Saturday August 31 “in order to dissolve the National Executive Council, State Executive Council, Local Government Executive Council and Ward Executive Council on the purported ground that the tenures of the executives have expired.”
According to him, it is not the responsibility of the governor to convene a NEC meeting for the purposes of setting up a caretaker committee.
“It is still the responsibility of the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the party to convene such a meeting,” he said, disclosing that the NWC, at a meeting on Monday, rejected Otti’s proposal and insisted that there is no vacuum in the leadership of the arty.
The National Chairman explained that the governor based his argument on premise that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the current executive’s tenures have expired.
INEC had excluded Labour Party from the meeting it held with leadership of registered political parties last month.
But Abure said the March 27 Nnewi convention where the leadership emerged, was in accordance with the Electoral Act, the Nigeria and Labour Party Constitutions.
“It must be noted that most of the government functionaries from Abia State including the deputy governor, commissioners, Chief of Staff and indeed all the Labour Party state Assembly members led by the Speaker of the House, Senior Special Assistants and other aides of the governor, were present at that convention,” he told Otti.
He stated that the governor lacks the power to call any NEC meeting, which he said, was vested on the National Chairman and National Secretary by Article 14 of the Labour Party Constitution.
“In the exercise of that power therefore, on the 20th of December, 2023, the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the party issued notices to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the convening of the National Convention of the Party that was scheduled to hold in March 2024.
“It must be noted that Section 82(1) of 2022 Electoral Act provides as follows every registered political party shall give the commission at least 21 days’ notice of any convention, congress, conference or meeting convened for the purpose of ‘merger’ and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this Act.
“It was in fulfilment of this provision that the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the party issued notice to INEC on the 4th of December 2023.
“When it became apparent for logistics reasons that the convention would be held at the earlier venue, another notice for change of venue was issued to INEC on the 14th of March, 2024.
“Again, another notice for a change of venue was issued on the 20th and 21st of March 2024.
“It is therefore clear that the party has fulfilled its obligation under the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the party,” he argued.
The National Chairman contended that it is not mandatory for INEC to attend the convention, and quoted Section 82(2) of the Electoral Act provides that “The commission may, with or without prior notice to the political party attend and observe any convention, congress, conference or meeting which is convened by a political party for the purpose of (a) electing members of its executive committees or other governing bodies; (b)nominating candidates for an election at any level; and (c) approving a merger with any other registered political party.”
He argued that any person(s), group or agency that claims that the tenures of the current executives have expired, “is not only mischievous but a deliberate attempt to put the party in comatose.”
Abure said the party communicated to INEC, copies of the comprehensive report of the Nnewi convention to enable the commission update its records following its inability to attend the national convention of the party.
He described as “unprofessional and mischievous, for any person(s) or agency to instigate members of the party from the back door that the tenures of the executives have expired.”
The Chairman told INEC that government business is not conducted verbally but through writings and correspondences.
“As we speak, there is no communication whatsoever from INEC to the party as regards any objection to the conduct of that convention,” he said, and admitted that INEC excluded Labour Party from meeting with political parties.
Abure advised INEC not “to descend into the arena of conflict but to continue with its neutrality and work cordially with the recognised leadership of the party until the courts state otherwise.”
He announced the set up a standing Disciplinary Committee to be headed by the National Legal Adviser Kehinde Edun, to discipline erring members.
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