Julius Abure’s faction of the Labour Party has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is specifically punishing the party because of its defense of its Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia Governor, Alex Otti, during the 2023 elections.
Speaking through the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, at a press conference held at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, Abure expressed deep frustration with both Obi and Otti.
He accused them of betraying the Labour Party’s core principles by aligning themselves with INEC, the very body accused of undermining the will of the people during the election.
The party raised concerns about a recent INEC counter-affidavit, which questioned the validity of the Labour Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and refused to recognize the outcome of the party’s March 2024 National Convention, which saw the re-election of Abure as chairman.
According to Ifoh, Obi and Otti convened a controversial stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia, where they handpicked a caretaker committee in an attempt to overthrow the party’s current leadership.
They reportedly informed INEC of an alleged internal leadership crisis, further fuelling the dispute.
Ifoh said, “The Labour Party think it expedient to bring to your notice the recent development in the party, particularly, the efforts by some of the leaders of the party including the former presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi and the Abia state governor, Dr.Alex Otti amongst others to annex power of the leadership of the party through subterranean means using the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as their launching pad.
“The media has been awash with INEC’s counter affidavit to the effect that the tenure of the current executives has expired which was supposed to be a justification for the inglorious, purported Umuahiastakeholders meeting where a caretaker committee was produced.
“You will recall that His Excellencies, Peter Obi and Alex Otti a few weeks ago convened an illegal stakeholders meeting in Umuahia where they handpicked some of their cronies, a 29-member caretaker committee in the most undemocratic fashion as leaders of their faction of the party.
“They subsequently wrote a letter to the INEC on September 6, 2024, informing the commission of the purported and non existent leadership crisis in the party.
“They hinged their decision on the fact that INEC informed them that the present National Working Committee of the party no longer have a valid tenure after June, 2024 and because INEC also did not monitor the Nnewi Convention of the party held on the 26th March, 2024, the commission has ceased from transacting business with the party.
“As you are aware, the party has since sued INEC challenging its exclusion from the commission’s refresher training for uploading party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
“However, INEC had in a counter-affidavit, filed in response to our suit argued that the Labour Party’s leadership, including Julius Abure, is now invalid, stressing that it does not recognise the party’s March 2024 National Convention, which re-elected Abure as chairman.
“The leadership of the Labour Party is however miffed by the actions of our leaders including our former presidential candidate Peter Obi and the only Labour Party governor, Dr. Alex Otti who should be defending the party at this auspicious and trying moment.
“They ought to know that Labour Party is going through this challenging times simply because of its role in defending both leaders during the 2023 general election.”