The Labour Party has criticized the expanded stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia, convened by the lone Labour Party Governor and Governor of Abia State, describing it as baseless.
The party stated that the expanded stakeholders’ status is alien to the party and any of its organs recognized by the Labour Party’s constitution, and therefore, lacks the authority to convene a party meeting or make decisions on behalf of the party.
This was expressed in a press statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Pastor Obiora Ifoh.
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The statement reads in part, “The premise on which Governor Alex Otti called the meeting is not only faulty but mischievous. Government business is not conducted verbally but through official communication and correspondences, which are done in writing.
As we speak, there is no communication whatsoever from INEC to the Party regarding any objection to the conduct of the National Convention.
“Consequently, the so-called caretaker committee set up by the Governor of Abia State is not recognized by the Party’s constitution and can best be described as a department in the Abia State Government House.
“We are shocked to note that the so-called chairman of the caretaker committee is not a registered member of the Party. She surfaced during the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign to assist Peter Obi in his campaign.”
Pastor Ifoh challenged the lone Labour Party governor to produce any communication from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicating that the Nnewi convention was illegal.
“We challenge Alex Otti to produce the official letter addressed to him from INEC on the subject matter. There is no vacuum in the leadership of the Party.”
In response to calls from aggrieved party members who are opposed to the emergence of the Abure-led executive of the party, elected at the controversial Nnewi convention, former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman, was nominated as chairman of a 29-member national caretaker committee to lead the Labour Party.
She was nominated during the LP stakeholders meeting held at the Banquet Hall of the Abia Government House in Umuahia, the state capital.
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE