The ongoing internal crisis within the Labour Party (LP) has escalated as the party’s sole governor, Alex Otti of Abia State, has called for an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, the party’s national chairman, Julius Abure, revealed that during a recent discussion with Governor Otti, the governor expressed his intention to convene a NEC meeting on Saturday, August 31. According to Abure, Otti stated that his planned meeting aimed to dissolve the National Executive Council, State Executive Council, Local Government Executive Council, and Ward Executive Council on the grounds that their tenures had expired.
“The NWC consequently notes that the national leadership states unequivocally that there is no vacuum in the leadership of our party; conscious of the fact that the tenure of the executives was to last till June 2024, the National Convention of the party was held on March 27, 2024, at Nnewi, Anambra State, at which the Governor of Abia State was represented by his deputy governor who also doubled as the Chairman of the Convention Committee,” Abure said while reading a communique.
He further emphasised that most government officials from Abia State, including the deputy governor, commissioners, Chief of Staff, and all LP state assembly members led by the Speaker of the House, as well as senior special assistants and other aides of the governor, were present at the convention.
Abure underscored that the Nnewi convention was convened in strict adherence to the laws of the land, including the 1999 Constitution, Electoral Act 2022, Labour Party Constitution, and other relevant regulations.
He stated, “Article 14 of the LP Constitution provides that it is only the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the party who can convene the meetings of the NWC, NEC and National Convention or any other national meeting of the party.”
Abure also detailed the procedures followed, noting that “on the 20th of December, 2023, the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the Party issued notices to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the convening of the National Convention of the Party that was scheduled to hold in March 2024.”
Citing Section 82(1) of the 2022 Electoral Act, he added, “It was in fulfilment of this provision that the national chairman and the national secretary of the party issued notice to INEC on 4th of December 2023. When it became apparent for logistics reasons that the convention would be held at the earlier venue, another notice for change of venue was issued to INEC on the 14th of March, 2024.”
Abure made it clear that the NWC recognises the legitimacy of the national convention held on March 27, 2024 and warned that the party’s national leadership would not hesitate to discipline any member who disobeys the Constitution of the Party and lawful directives from its leadership.
He also announced the formation of a 10-man Standing Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Barrister Kehinde Edun, the National Legal Adviser, and including other key members such as Chief Clement Ojukwu, Deputy National Chairman, and Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi, Deputy National Chairman.
Abure concluded by asserting that even if the tenure of the current NWC had expired, it is not within the governor’s jurisdiction to convene a NEC meeting for setting up a caretaker committee. “It is still the responsibility of the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the Party to convene such a meeting,” he said. He also noted that “it is the responsibility of INEC to officially communicate the party in writing as to why it has objection to the conduct of the Convention and to draw the attention of the leadership of the party to the fact that their tenure has expired.”