The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of punishing the faction for the role it played in the defence of the party’s Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi and the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, during the 2023 general elections......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Abure said this at a media briefing addressed by the factional National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, at the party’s National Secretariat, Abuja, on Wednesday.
He also accused Obi and Otti of betraying all that the Labour Party ever stood for, for now taking sides with INEC which let Nigerians down by bungling the free will of the people during the 2023 elections.
Ifoh said, “The Labour Party think it expedient to bring to your notice the recent development in the party, particularly, the efforts by some of the leaders of the party including the former presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi and the Abia state governor, Dr.Alex Otti amongst others to annex power of the leadership of the party through subterranean means using the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as their launching pad.
“The media has been awash with INEC’s counter affidavit to the effect that the tenure of the current executives has expired which was supposed to be a justification for the inglorious, purported Umuahiastakeholders meeting where a caretaker committee was produced.
“You will recall that His Excellencies, Peter Obi and Alex Otti a few weeks ago convened an illegal stakeholders meeting in Umuahia where they handpicked some of their cronies, a 29-member caretaker committee in the most undemocratic fashion as leaders of their faction of the party.
“They subsequently wrote a letter to the INEC on September 6, 2024, informing the commission of the purported and non existent leadership crisis in the party.
“They hinged their decision on the fact that INEC informed them that the present National Working Committee of the party no longer have a valid tenure after June, 2024 and because INEC also did not monitor the Nnewi Convention of the party held on the 26th March, 2024, the commission has ceased from transacting business with the party.
“As you are aware, the party has since sued INEC challenging its exclusion from the commission’s refresher training for uploading party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
“However, INEC had in a counter-affidavit, filed in response to our suit argued that the Labour Party’s leadership, including Julius Abure, is now invalid, stressing that it does not recognise the party’s March 2024 National Convention, which re-elected Abure as chairman.
“The leadership of the Labour Party is however miffed by the actions of our leaders including our former presidential candidate Peter Obi and the only Labour Party governor, Dr. Alex Otti who should be defending the party at this auspicious and trying moment.
“They ought to know that Labour Party is going through this challenging times simply because of its role in defending both leaders during the 2023 general election.”
According to him, it would be of interest to note that, not a few Nigerians will forget how LP, bent over backwards to accommodate some of these leaders when they were denied tickets in their former political parties.
He recalled that many of these men who are today holding several political offices have suddenly turned “warriors today, seeking the head of Julius Abure” to be served on a platter, where rolling on “the floors, begging for ticket.”
Ifoh further said, “Some couldn’t even afford to pay for the nomination forms. The LP leadership went to the trenches with our Presidential Candidate, cascading through the nooks and crannies of Nigeria canvassing for votes.
“We went through the entire judicial hurdles, dared the principalities and powers. We were haunted, maligned and in some cases chased around by agents of the state because of our unflinching commitment and uncompromised standing with our Presidential candidate.
“The same LP leadership stood by our then governorship candidate in Abia through thick and thin, snubbing all sorts of pressures, weathering the political and judicial storms to ensure that victory was achieved.
“Today, these leaders are now dancing ‘Gwo gwo gwo ngwo’ with us. What a shame, what a betrayal.
“Every Nigerian alive today knows the 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.
“In as much as we are not saying that Abure or his executive members must remain in office ad-infinitum, however we would like to make it abundantly clear that this current National Working Committee is a product of a valid convention.
“It will take another convention in 2028 to enthrone a new executive. It is even surprising that some of the dramatis-personae who played key role in the success of the convention are now the ones leading the vanguard to exterminate the product of the convention.”