Abure camp accused Obi, Otti and other leaders of the Labour Party of siding with INEC to destroy the party.
The Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the Labour Party has once again berated the presidential candidate of the party in 2023, Peter Obi, Abia State governor, Alex Otti and other leaders of the party for constituting a caretaker committee to take over leadership of the party.
The latest outburst of the Abure camp which is contained in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, on Wednesday, came after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refused to recognise Abure as the party’s chairman.
INEC insisted that Abure’s tenure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party expired in June 2024.
In the statement by Ifoh, the Abure camp accused Obi, Otti and other leaders of the Labour Party of siding with INEC to destroy the party.
They alleged that the electoral body mismanaged the 2023 election at the expense of the Labour Party and wondered why those at the receiving end are now backing the commission against the party.
“Every Nigerian alive today knows the ignoble role INEC played in the 2023 general election and how the electoral will of the people were dashed. It amazes us that those who suffered from this INEC’s ineptitude in 2023, are now joining forces with the Commission against the Party leadership.
“For these leaders, there is no qualms to leverage on the INEC’s standpoint of illegality to attempt to seize the leadership of the party. We sincerely want to advise these our leaders that INEC is and can never be the model on which to launch their annexation agenda.
“The 2023 saga is still fresh. In one breath, we demonised INEC, in another second, you are fraternizing with them. Is it not paradoxical that some of these leaders who were victims of INEC’s dereliction and mismanagement of the 2023 general election are now the ones quoting INEC, and joining forces with it, just to victimize the leadership of the Labour Party. Is it not seemingly absurd that the INEC you are embracing today and welcoming with open arms is the same INEC, which betrayed us during the last election?
“I ask, where was this loyalty when INEC failed to protect the will of the people in 2023? Let us not be fooled, my friends. INEC has not changed, and come 2027, they will once again serve you the portage with the same dish,” the statement read in part.
Ifoh insists that the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice J.K Omotosho had declared that the national convention of the party held in Nnewi on the March 26, 2024 is valid and one conducted in line with the requirement of both the 2022 Electoral Act and Labour Party Constitution.
He maintained that there is currently no vacancy in the leadership of the Labour party, adding that it will take another convention in 2028 to enthrone a new executive.
In a meeting convened by Governor Alex Otti and atteended by Obi, some elected Senators and House of Reps members in the party two weeks ago, Minister of Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman emerged as the Chairman of a 29-man caretaker committee.
The Immediate-past Senate Minority Deputy Leader, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, was also appointed to serve as Secretary to the committee which according to the leaders will midwife an election of a new leadership of the party within the next 90 days.