Tensions are rising within the Labour Party as Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, faces pushback in his attempt to call a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to dissolve the party’s leadership.
Governor Otti met with the Labour Party’s national chairman, Julius Abure, expressing his desire to hold a NEC meeting on Saturday, August 31, citing the expiration of the current leadership’s tenure.
The National Working Committee (NWC), led by Abure, responded swiftly, stating in a meeting on Tuesday that there is no “vacuum in the leadership” of the party. The NWC clarified that the party’s leadership remains intact, with their tenure set to expire in June 2024, following a National Convention that took place in March 2024 to renew the leadership.
The NWC’s official statement questioned Governor Otti’s motives, reminding him that his deputy had represented him at the March 27 convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, where the leadership was affirmed. The party emphasized that it operates on collective leadership and is not controlled by any single individual, differentiating it from other political organizations.
Citing the Labour Party’s success in the 2023 general elections, which allowed figures like Otti to achieve political success after attempts with other parties, the NWC reaffirmed the importance of the party’s structure and ideology.
In an effort to maintain order, the NWC announced the formation of a disciplinary committee, headed by Barrister Kehinde Edun, the National Legal Adviser. This decision was made public following a meeting at the Labour Party’s National Headquarters in Abuja on August 26.
In its communique, the NWC outlined its adherence to constitutional protocols, reiterating that only the National Chairman and National Secretary have the authority to convene NEC or National Convention meetings, as stipulated in the Labour Party Constitution. It also confirmed that proper notices were issued to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the March 2024 convention.
The NWC dismissed claims of expired leadership as “mischievous” and warned that any attempts to create division within the party are aimed at destabilizing its progress.
The Labour Party’s leadership urged members to uphold party rules and respect its constitution, emphasizing that internal issues should not be escalated through unprofessional or disruptive means.
