…Former NWC Divided
The move to reorganise the Labour Party has accelerated with a formal notification of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti and former presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi of a 29-member caretaker committee recently constituted to organise the party’s congresses and convention.
This is as former members of the National Working Committee removed at the Abia stakeholders meeting are divided, with the majority supporting the action of the Abia governor and his former counterpart from Anambra.
The former members who have abandoned the former chairman of the party, Julius Abure believed their tenure had indeed ended and saw no need to fight a losing battle especially if the party must move forward.
To take control of the party to pave the way for emergence of new executives, the two of the top members have therefore officially notified the Chairman of INEC Professor Mahmood Yakubu, of the establishment of the 29-member caretaker committee to organise the party’s congresses and national convention within a period not exceeding 180 days.
The letter, dated September 6, 2024, was signed by both Otti and Obi, where the 29-member caretaker committee was formally presented to the commission.
They stated in the letter that “You will recall that the Labour Party had had a leadership crisis in recent times culminating in the de-recognition of the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) by INEC effective June 2024. This is sequel to the settlement brokered by INEC on June 27, 2022.”
While noting that the settlement was based on the court judgement by Justice Gabriel Kolawole on March 20, 2018, they informed that, “A major part of the settlement states that an all-inclusive national convention, preceded by ward, local government and state congresses shall be convened not later than one year after signing the terms of settlement.”
They recalled that the implementation of the agreement was deferred by one year to 2024 because of the 2023 general election, stressing that, “By March 2024, the Abure-led NWC organised a convention at Nnewi without first organising ward, local government and state congresses.”
This they argued “fell short of the standards and the spirit of the terms of settlement as stated above.
“In the light of all these, a leadership vacuum arose in the party. In like manner, the National Executive Committee membership got depleted leaving less than 10 members standing,” they explained in the joint letter.
They explained that, “Given the above scenario, the statutory executives of the party made up of the governor, deputy governor, and legislators, in addition to all surviving members of NEC, the leadership of organised labour, representatives of governorship candidates in the 2023 election and subsequent ones, presidential and vice presidential candidates in the 2023 election and other party leaders, met in Umuahia, Abia State, on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 and set up a caretaker committee to organise congresses and the national convention within a period not exceeding 180 days to fill the vacuum created by the expiration of the tenure of the erstwhile leadership of the party at all levels.”
They unveiled Senator Nenadi Usman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha as Chairman and Secretary, respectively, who they said were appointed by the stakeholders at the Abia meeting.
The letter also listed other members of the committee which included representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, and Comrade Chris Uyot.
The senate wing according to the letter is being represented by Senators Victor Umeh, Neda Imasuen, and Ireti Kingibe, while the House of Representatives is represented by Hon. Afam Ogene, Hon. Seyi Sowunmi, Hon. Sunday Umeha, Hon. Donatus Matthew, and Hon. Esosa Iyawe
While the former governorship candidates of the party were represented by Ken Pela (Delta), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (Lagos), Jonathan Asake (Kaduna), and Edward Pwajok (Plateau), the members of the state Houses of Assembly in the caretaker committee included Hon. Edosa Richard, Hon. Harrison Oghara, Hon. Augustine Okezie, and Hon. Clinton Amadi
Also, representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the committee were Mohammed Misau, Austin Jonah, and Sansa Omalara.
Other members of the caretaker committee are Edwin Bafte Sajo, Nike Oshola, Aishat Madijiem, Ugoeze Caroline Onwubiko, and Dominic Essien according to the letter.