Abia declines hosting party’s national convention
The Julius Abure led National Executive Committee has shifted the March 27,2024 national convention of the party from Abia State to Anambra State after an alleged cold shoulder from the party’s only state governor,Alex Otti.
Abure had earlier moved the convention from Edo to Abia.
Abure and his team are currently embroiled in a crisis of legitimacy with some stakeholders in the party.
The Lagos State chapter of the party joined the fray yesterday, asking Abure to quit.
Chairman of the party in the state, Rasheed Bamishe asked the embattled National Chairman to quit now.
Abure,he said should prioritise the party’s interest by giving way for a Caretaker National Chairman to organise state congresses ahead of the National Convention.
Speaking at the party secretariat in Lagos, Bamishe said all stakeholders owe it a duty to stop Abure from proceeding with the March 27 convention.
“The Labour Party which was formed by the founding fathers to be a beacon of hope for millions of Nigerians is gradually being destroyed by Barrister Abure and this should not be allowed to continue,” he said.
Bamishe added that Abure was free to create his political party and manage its business, but the Labour Party as a democratic organisation cannot function as a one-man show.
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He claimed that allegations of dishonesty, forgery, and fabrication of signatures have brought public shame and embarrassment to the Labour Party’s National Chairman.
“In a civilized clime, Barrister Abure should have exited office since the flurry of fraud cases against him became public knowledge but because of the culture of impunity in Nigeria, he is still clinging to power.
“Barrister Abure should tell the world where the National Convention of Labour Party in which he emerged as National Chairman was held.
“Barrister Abure is plotting to install himself again as the National Chairman of Labour Party through another illegal Convention and this should not be allowed to happen.”
National convention moved to Anambra
In a letter to the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the change in the venue of the convention, Abure and the LP National Secretary Labour Party, Umar Ibrahim said: “We write to kindly refer you to our letter on the above subject matter in which our National Convention rescheduled for 27th of March 2024 at the International Conference Center Umuahia, Abia State..
“We are however constrained to change the venue as a result of non-availability of the proposed venue on the scheduled date.
“We hereby inform you of the new venue for the convention as follows;
“Venue: GRAND SEASONS HOTEL NNEWI, ANAMBRA STATE.
Date: 27th of March 2024,
Time: 10 am prompt.
“We kindly request you to be present and monitor the Convention.
“Kindly accept the assurances of our esteem high regards as always.”
The Deputy National Chairman of the party, Ayo Olorunfemi, who confirmed the letter, said the change in venue was one of the issues discussed at the recent National Executive Committee meeting in Asaba, Delta State where the party ratified the programme for the convention.
He said both the NEC and state chairmen of the party endorsed the programme for the convention.
Olorunfemi said with that, the party was going ahead with the convention despite oppositions from the Nigeria Labour Congress, the House of Representatives caucus of the party and some supporters of the former Presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi.
He said: “We have changed the venue because of security reasons. We need a place that is accessible and secure. Nnewi is a stone thrown from Onitsha and it is secure. We don’t want people who will be travelling from all over the country to pass through those dangerous zones.
“We have decided on this convention and we are going ahead with it. All the state chairmen and secretaries have taken a position.”
Sources however said Abia State Governor Otti’s refusal to host the convention necessitated the shift of venue.