In a move that will in no doubt deepen the crisis in the Labour Party, the embattled factional chairman of the party, Julius Abure, has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announcing a dissolution of the Abia State Working Committee (SWC).
This comes a few weeks after the Federal High Court in Abuja controversially recognised the controversial National Convention of the party which reproduced Abure for another term of office as National Chairman.
Although the Esther Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker committee, established some months ago and recognised by INEC, has begun work on organising national congress and convention after appealing the court ruling, securing the maintenance of status quo, the Abure-led NWC has dismissed that and has since been taking steps to assert authority.
However, in another action that is likely to deepen the woes of the party even though INEC has said it does not recognise Abure and his NWC, being that their tenure had long elapsed, Abure in a letter jointly signed by him and his National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, appointed a 15-member Caretaker Committee led by Dr. G. O. Ndubueze to manage the Party’s operations for three months during which an actual leadership will be established.
They included that the Interim Committee’s appointment for the state under the party’s control is effective immediately.
“In exercise of the power bestowed upon by the Labour Party Constitution, Article 13,3, B, vi, to dissolve and reconstitute State Executive Council/State Working Committee where necessary, pending the next state Congress.
“The National Working Committee hereby dissolves and appoints a Caretaker Committee to pilot the affairs of the party in Abia state” the letter partly read.
Abure invited another round of crisis into the party when he controversially organised a National Convention in March in Anambra after changing venue more than three times to shut out key party members from the convention.
This led to the formation of the Usman-led 29-member interim National Committee.
The Usman-led committee is backed by a majority of key players in the party such as the National Assembly caucus of the party, Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti-Ahmed, the party’s running mate, and Dr. Alex Otti, the only governor elected on its platform.
After the failed convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, Peter Obi and top players in the party shunned all Labour Party activities. Also, INEC refused to do business with the Abure-led NWC, making matters worse as the electoral body insisted that the Abure’s NWC’s term ended in June.
Major stakeholders, led by Obi and Governor Otti, were forced to call the September 4 expanded National Executive Council meeting in Umuahia due to growing fears that the party might start losing its relevance.