Crisis rocking the Labour Party(LP) took a worrisome dimension on Monday with the embattled national chairman of the party, Julius Abure, vowing that the party’s presidential and governorship tickets for the 2027 elections are no longer reserved for its former presidential candidate, Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State.
Apparently lamenting that those who were given the LP tickets to run for elective offices in 2023 have regrettably turned full circle to reward the political benefactors with “ingratitude and insubordination,” said such people would not be allowed to harass him and others out of their seats.
Addressing newsmen after the party’s National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja, Abure said the 2027 presidential ticket and other tickets are now open to all eligible members.
Abure said the Abia governor does not have the power to convene a stakeholders’ meeting that produced a caretaker committee led by a former Senator, Nenadi Usman.
The chairman also said no governor could harass them out of office, explaining that such a person cannot dissolve the National Working Committee, dissolve state councils, or dissolve local government councils.
He said, “NEC in session also reviewed the decision of the National Convention to reserve its Presidential and Governorship tickets for Peter Gregory Obi and Alex Otti, respectively.
“Consequently, all party tickets from the Presidency to the House of Assemblies are open to all qualified Nigerians.
“The NEC in session noted that the Governor of Abia State, His Excellency Alex Otti, who convened the meeting, did not have the power within the Party’s Constitution as provided in Article 14 (4) (B) gives the power to call meetings only to the National Secretary with the approval of the National Chairman.
“NEC in session further reiterates that the Governor of Abia State does not even have the power to call his Ward Executive meeting without the approval and the consent of his Ward Chairman.
“The meeting contravenes the provisions of Section 82 (1) (2) (a) of the Electoral Act 2022, which provides as follows: 82 (1) Every registered political party shall give the Commission at least 21 days’ notice of any Convention, Congress, Conference or meeting convened for the purpose of ‘merger’ and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this act.
“No governor that we gave ticket can harass us out of office; no governor, no matter how highly placed, will come and with a fiat, dissolve the NWC, dissolve state councils, or dissolve LG councils; even a military government would not do that. The mandate given to me and my team as leaders of the Labour Party at the convention of the party held on the 27th day of March 2024, will be defended.
“We are at a critical moment in the life of our party. Recent events have shown that those who should stand with us in the fight for a better restructured, organized and united party have chosen a different path.
“A path not of unity, but of division. I speak, of course, of the illegal gathering that took place in Abia State, an attempt to create a rift within our party, led by none other than His Excellency Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti. This meeting, held without the authority or consent of the National Executive Council, sought to install a so-called ‘new leadership’.
“Let me be clear: this action was not just illegal. It was a betrayal of everything the Labour Party stands for. A reward for loyalty with ingratitude, a reward for support with insubordination.”
