The Labour Party (LP) has raised strong objections to what it described as a clandestine attempt by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, and the party’s 2023 presidential flagbearer, Peter Obi, to seize control of the party’s structure.
In a statement issued in Kaduna on Thursday, the party’s National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, denounced a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting convened by the duo in Abuja, labeling it as unconstitutional and unauthorized.
“At the end of their illegal meeting in Abuja, Mr Obi led other party outlaws to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in an attempt to pressure the Commission to take unlawful action against the party leadership,” Ibrahim stated.
He described the move as “a high level of desperation to seize control of the party’s structure,” and questioned the urgency, saying: “If the Supreme Court ruling truly supports them, why the rush to INEC to exert undue influence?”
According to Ibrahim, Obi and Otti also attempted to broker a deal with National Chairman Julius Abure by offering him the position of Chairman of the Board of Trustees in exchange for stepping aside.
“But unfortunately for them, Abure did not appoint himself chairman. It is not about personalities; it is about the supremacy of party organs and adherence to due process,” he insisted.
“It is not within anyone’s prerogative to allocate positions. This sort of political patronage undermines the sanctity of our democratic institutions. Such arbitrary behaviour by leaders is partly responsible for the state of governance in the country,” he added.
The LP secretary alleged that the Abuja gathering also included threats and covert plans to reclaim the party’s leadership through force.
He pointed to the Supreme Court ruling which, he said, clearly affirmed that only the National Secretary, in consultation with the National Chairman, is empowered to summon a NEC meeting.
“Obi and Otti lack the constitutional authority to convene such a meeting. Therefore, both the meeting and its resolutions are null and void,” Ibrahim declared.
Referring to the list of those who attended the meeting, he said it reflected the illegitimacy of the event.
The roll call included Obi’s 2023 running mate, serving and former lawmakers, members of the self-styled “National Caretaker Committee,” and representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
“There is no mention of any ‘National Caretaker Committee’ in our party constitution. Nor is there any provision for a governor or former presidential candidate to convene a NEC meeting,” he clarified.
He also referenced the position of labour union leader, Comrade Joe Ajaero, who has threatened to picket LP offices nationwide.
“Our immediate response to Obi, Otti and other renegades is that their plans amount to self-help. If the court ruling is in their favour, there are legal means to enforce it. Intimidation and threats will not yield positive outcomes,” Ibrahim warned.
He concluded by cautioning that leaders who cannot abide by internal party rules while out of office are unlikely to uphold the national constitution if they ever assume power.
“We condemn this illegal meeting in totality and urge members and the public to disregard both the gathering and its outcomes,” he said.
