…Suspension Illegal – Party Spokesman
It’s one crisis after another for the Labour Party (LP) as the Edo State chapter of the party has suspended the embattled National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, over alleged anti-party activities.
Abure who has been fighting to keep his position for several years now has been hit by yet another suspension in a letter of suspension dated May 14, 2024.
To see through his suspension, another letter of ratification dated May 15, 2024, was ratified at a meeting of the State Executive Committee (SEC) on Friday night in Benin.
The letter announced that Abure, who has defied all odds to stay on as chairman, has been suspended with immediate effect.
The letters indicated that Abure has been suspended from the party in Ward 3 in Arue-Uromi, in Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State for alleged “high-handedness and anti-party activities.”
The letters further read, “While the suspension is with immediate effect, you are advised to restrain from holding out or parading yourself a member of Labour party, Ward 3, Arue, Uromi in Ean North-East LGA, Edo State.”
While the letter of suspension was signed by the Ward Chairman, Thompson Ehiguese and Ward Secretary, Stanley Usiomoh, the letter of ratification of his suspension was forwarded to the State Executive Committee of the party through the State Chairman by the Local Government Chairman of the party in Esan North-East, Patrick Onogbeni and LGA Secretary, Ehikioya Eromosele.
“The LGA Executive met today, 15th of May, 2024 about 12 noon, to consider the matters presented on the suspension and accordingly found them weighty and the suspension ratified and upheld,” the letter read.
It noted that, “The state executive committee considered the letters, together with the issues contained therein, and ratified Abure’s suspension.
“With the ratification of his suspension, the basis of his chairmanship of the party at the national level has been vitiated, and by implication, he stands suspended as the party’s national chairman.”
But in a swift reaction, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh told newsmen that the suspense was illegal.
He stressed that, “The ward, LG or even the state have no power to suspend the National Chairman. An Edo High Court has also ruled on this matter. Also, an Appeal Court has ruled on this matter.
“This dimension is a continuation of the attack on the person of Abure as witnessed during the governorship primaries. It will also amount to nothing and we are not perturbed,” Ifoh stated.