Cracks appeared to have developed in Ogun State chapter of the Labour Party(LP) as zonal leaders distanced themselves from the recent attack on the national leadership of the party, Barr. Julius Abure and chief Clement Ojukwu; the national organizing secretary, who also doubles as the General Secretary of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council.
The state chapter of the party had on November 24 passed a “vote of no confidence” on Barr. Abure and chief Clement Ojukwu; over alleged plots by the two to make LP Igbos affairs.
The state LP also demanded the immediate withdrawal of a letter of authority allegedly given to the National Chairman’s brother in – law; Barr. Nelson Adogah, describing it as an act of political brigandage, lawlessness organized executive rascality and malfeasance against the constitution of Labour Party.
Comrade Ashade Michael (State Chairman) and Comrade Feyisola Michael (State Secretary), had at a press briefing where party members and some state executives were in attendance, said they arrived at the decision on the affected national officials following an alleged deliberate attempt
by them to “Southernise” Labour Party and robbed it of a semblance of national outlook.
They lamented that membership of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council was heavily tilted to Southeast geopolitical zone while what was left for others had also been taken over by Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) migrants, whom they described as “dissidents.”
They therefore demanded that a meeting of National Executive Council be summoned immediately to avert political unrest in the LP, alleging that the party had also been hijacked by PDP dissidents through Clement Ojukwu and Barr.Julius Abure.
But in a release sent to The Daily Crucible on Tuesday night, the zonal leaders – Engr. Jagun Lookman; Deputy State Chairman(Ogun East), Chief Ope Ijaola, Deputy State Chairman(Ogun Central) and Prince Oluwatosin Meadows, the State Organising Secretary, on behalf of other exco members and state leaders of LP, distanced themselves from the anti – Abure and Obi – Datti position of Ashade and his cohorts, describing them as dissidents.
Engr. Jagun Lookman; Chief Ope Ijaola and Prince Oluwatosin Meadows, stated that all the allegations raised against Abure and Ojukwu could have been resolved internally without blowing it up, adding that the action of Aahade and others was clearly needless, condemnable and unfortunate.
They alleged that the step taken by Ashade and others was “engineered by some disgruntled elements within and outside the party, who are hell bent and desperate to de-market the Labour Party and its national leadership ahead of the 2023 elections.”
They, however, assured that on the court issues affecting candidates of party in Ogun State, no stone would be left unturned to prevent any officer of the party from extorting, defrauding or manipulating unsuspecting candidates on the basis of legal actions of the party.
Below is the statement in full
DISSOCIATION FROM THE SPONSORED TANTRUMS OF OGUN STATE DISSIDENTS AGAINST THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF THE LABOUR PARTY AND OBI-DATTI PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL.
The attention of some of us in the leadership of Labour Party in Ogun State, especially, we members of the State Exco and Leaders of the Party, have been drawn to an orchestrated, reckless and divisive news conference of some Officials of Ogun State Labour Party led by Micheal Ashade, State Chairman and his cohorts against the National Leadership of our Great Party.
Our thorough review of the issues raised at this unprovoked press conference reveals to us that the news conference was a sinister move of some disgruntled elements to de-market and discredit the growing popularity of the Party in Nigeria, as all the issues raised by them amounted to infantile tantrums that were never discussed at the state executive meeting of the party before the press conference.
As a matter of fact, all the allegations raised at the conference could have been resolved internally without calling a press conference. So, this action was clearly needless, condemnable and unfortunate and we suspect that it was engineered by some disgruntled elements within and outside the party, who are hell bent and desperate to de-market the Labour Party and its national leadership ahead of the 2023 elections.
For the avoidance of doubt, Presidential Campaign Council, PCC is the perrogative of the Presidential Candidate and the National Working Committee, NWC of LP and since the PCC has been approved by the NWC no member of the party has the moral right to call for its dissolution.
Again, the issue of national spread, as far as we are concerned, has been taken care of as Obi is from SE, Datti is from NW and the DG is from SW. So, nobody should be seen crying more than the bereaved as the North is not complaining.
On the issue of not including Mr Abayomi Arabambi, (embattled National Publicity Secretary from Ogun State) in the PCC, this can be amicably addressed instead of making a mountain out of a mole hill by these elements.
To this end, we, however wish to dissociate ourselves from the unruly hatchet job of these Exco Members of labour party in Ogun State and hereby reaffirm our confidence in the leadership of Comrade Barr Julius Abure, the National Chairman and Mr Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate and the present leaders of Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council.
On the court issues of our Candidates, the National Leadership has assured us that no stone will be left unturned and that they are determined to prevent any officer of the party from extorting, defrauding or manipulating unsuspecting candidates on the basis of legal actions of the party.
Signed:
Engr. Jagun Lookman
Deputy State Chairman
(Ogun East)
Chief Ope Ijaola
Deputy State Chairman
(Ogun Central)
Prince Oluwatosin Meadows
State Organising Secretary
On Behalf of other Exco Members and State Leaders of Ogun State Labour Party
