There is a brewing crisis in the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State as a member of the House of Representatives, Seyi Sowunmi, has disowned the party’s leadership in the state.
Ahead of the yet-to-be-scheduled local government election in the state, Sowunmi, who represents Ojo Federal Constituency of Lagos State, has warned against illegal congresses and the sale of local government expression of interest forms in the party.
According to him, the Dayo Ekong-led exco is an ‘impostor’. The federal lawmaker affirmed that the exco having been reappointed on October 27, 2023, for a period of 3 months, the tenure of the exco expired on January 26. Therefore, the Ekong-led State Executive Committee is no longer the authentic exco of the party in Lagos.
“I have been inundated with calls and messages from my constituents and other party faithful in Lagos State on the alleged congresses and selling of forms for the upcoming local government election in Lagos State by the Dayo Ekong led exco of Labour Party in Lagos State.
“This press release is to set the record straight for all and sundry and prevent them from losing their hard-earned money.
“The Dayo Ekong led Exco of Labour Party in Lagos State was last reappointed on 27 October 2023 for a period of 3 months,” Sowunmi said in a statement.
“By the express provision of the appointment letter, their tenure ended on 26 January 2024 and it has NOT been renewed till date. Therefore, the Dayo Ekong-led Exco is an impostor.”
He explained that there is a court case at the Federal High Court, Abuja seeking court orders, among other things, to stop Ekong and other members of the Exco from parading themselves as the state Exco members.
Sowunmi argued that based on the expiration of the tenure of the state exco on 26 January, Ekong and other exco members lack the power to appoint local government excos, to conduct any congress or sell any expression of interest or nomination form for LP in Lagos State.
“Indeed, there’s a court case at the Federal High Court, Abuja seeking court orders, among other things, to set aside all the illegal activities of Mrs. Dayo Ekong led Exco since the end of her tenure and to restrain her and cohort from parading themselves as Labour Party State Excos for Lagos State. The court case will also set aside all the illegal caretaker excos appointed by her across all the local governments in Lagos State. All the court papers have been served on her and she has not filed any defence till date to the best of my knowledge.
“I state categorically that upon the expiration of tenure of the Dayo Ekong led State Exco on 26 January 2024, she and other exco members lack the power to appoint local government excos, to conduct any congress or sell any expression of interest or nomination form for Labour Party in Lagos state,” he explained.
Sowunmi warned party members wishing to contest in the forthcoming local government election in the state to be careful and not to participate in any congresses being organized by the Ekong-led leadership.
“I am also aware that Mrs. Dayo Ekong has been pressurizing Barr. Julius Abure to write to INEC informing INEC that her tenure has been renewed but Barr. Julius Abure is unwilling to write to INEC because it’s being alleged that INEC does not recognize Barr. Julius Abure as National Chairman due to his failure to follow due process.
“As a party, we cannot be criticizing the appetite of the Nigerian state for lawlessness while we are guilty of or encouraging the same disregard for due process or rule of law within our great party. We must right the wrongs starting within our party by entrenching and respecting due process in our dealings.
“In view of the above, I therefore urge all Labour Party members, supporters and aspirants wishing to contest under the umbrella of our great party to be wary of buying any form to contest for the forthcoming local government election in Lagos State and not to participate in any kangaroo congresses being organized by a charlatan group as I strongly believe that the court being the last hope of the common man will right all the wrongs being perpetuated in Labour Party, Lagos State,” he added.
However, reacting to Sowunmi’s statement at a press briefing held at the party’s secretariat in Ikeja on Wednesday, Ekong said there is no vacuum in the leadership of LP in Lagos. She pointed out that there are only two institutions that can sack the leadership of the party in the state.
“The first is the National Working Committee of the party who is the appointing authority in the first place , and the second is through a pronouncement by a law court of competent jurisdiction.
“At the moment, none of these bodies has made any declaration to that effect and until then, I and my team remain the authentic leadership of the party in Lagos State and we will continue to show exemplary leadership to our great party,” Ekong affirmed.
She accused the federal lawmaker of intentionally trying to misinform the general public and malign her leadership of the party through deliberate falsehoods. Ekong claimed that Sowunmi has been planning to hijack the party in Ojo Local Government to use as bargaining chip with the ruling-All Progressives Congress (APC), as he fears he might not get return ticket come 2027.
She said: “The leadership of the Labour party in Lagos State is aware of the dangerous plans of Hon. Seyi Sowunmi to hijack the party in Ojo Local government area, which he intends to use as a bargaining chip in his negotiations with the ruling party because he is afraid of the reality of internal democracy in the party which he feels will not guarantee him a return ticket come 2027.
“The only option left for him is to destabilise the party and move to APC where he will be imposed on the people to continue their ” snatching, grabbing and running away” strategy. We are fully in possession of all the evidence of his nocturnal meetings which he has been having with them. We are going to make them public at the appropriate period.”
Citing the party’s constitution, Ekong stated that article…20 (6) 20 (2) and 20 (7) frowns at all the actions of Sowunmi. She noted that the constitution of the party provides that all grievances arising from and within the party must be first addressed through the internal dispute resolution mechanism put in place by the party.
With the ongoing development, the party chairman disclosed that the party’s disciplinary committee has been reconstituted to look into the actions of Sowunmi and other dissident members, adding that anyone found wanting would face disciplinary action.
“We insist that there must be discipline in our party and any member no matter the position who feels he is bigger and above the laws guiding the affairs of the party must be made to bear the consequences of his or her actions. The principle of the supremacy of the party must be strictly adhered to by all irrespective of class or position.
“It is in line with this development that the state working committee of the labour in her weekly meeting held on Tuesday the 27/8/24 deemed it fit to reconstitute her standing disciplinary committee as stipulated in our constitution. The committee has been saddled with the responsibility of looking into these infractions being committed by some dissident members of the party with the aim of bringing the full weight of the law to bear on anyone found culpable,” Ekong disclosed.
Meanwhile, the Ojo LGA chapter of the LP has suspended Sowunmi for three months. This is contained in a letter dated August 27, and signed by the Chairman, Oluwanifemi Elegbede and Secretary, Blessing Okafor. According to the letter, the lawmaker’s suspension followed his refusal to appear before the party’s disciplinary panel after a 24-hour summons.
Among other reasons for his suspension include; gross insubordination, failure to attend ward meetings, and non-registration in any Ojo LGA ward.