The National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP, Julius Abure has rejected the call by the Abia state governor, Alex Otti on him and other members of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, to step down.
The Abia governor had during a recent meeting with the LP chairman demanded the dissolution of the leadership structure of the party from the national to the ward level.
During the meeting, Otti informed Abure his intention to convene a NEC meeting on Saturday August 31 where the current leadership will be dissolved.
But in a communique issued by the Abure-led NEC on Tuesday, the party said there is no “vacuum’ in the leadership of the party, saying its tenure has yet to expire, having been recently elected.
According to the party due process was followed during its national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra state on March 27, 2024 where the current NEC members were elected.
The communique read in part: “The national leadership hereby states unequivocally that there is no vacuum in the leadership of our Party.
” Conscious of the fact that the tenure of the executives was to last till June 2024, the National Convention of the Party was held in March 27, 2024 at Nnewi, Anambra State at which the Governor of Abia State was ably represented by his deputy governor who also doubled as the Chairman of the Convention Committee.
” It must be noted that most of the government functionaries from Abia State including the Deputy Governor, Commissioners, Chief of Staff and indeed all the Labour Party State Assembly members led by the Speaker of the House, Senior Special Assistants and other aides of the governor, were present at that Convention.
” It must be stressed that under the Laws of the land which include the following: the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, the Labour Party Constitution and indeed, all other laws of the land were adhered to in convening that Convention.
“Article 14 of the Labour Party Constitution provides that it is only the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the Party who can convene the meetings of the National Working Committee, National Executive Committee and National Convention or any other national meeting of the Party.
“In the exercise of that power therefore, on the 20th of December, 2023, the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the Party issued notices to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the convening of the National Convention of the Party that was scheduled to hold in March 2024.
” It must be noted that Section 82(1) of 2022 Electoral Act provides as follows
“Every registered Political Party shall give the Commission at least 21 days’ notice of any convention, congress, conference or meeting convened for “merger” and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this Act.
“It was in fulfilment of this provision that the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the Party issued notice to INEC on the 4th of December 2023.”
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