LP National Chairman, Mr Julius Abule, issued the warning at a press conference in Abuja. LP National Chairman, Mr Julius Abule has warned Governor Alex Otti of Abia State not to interfere in the leadership crisis rocking the party.
Abule urged him to focus on governance and stop interfering in the running of the party.
He said this at a press conference in Abuja.
Abule lamented that it is bad enough to endure criticism and persecution from those who want to tear the party apart without also having to deal with party leaders, members and stakeholders who are following the same path.
The LP national chairman’s anger stems from the Abia governor’s recent meeting with Otti where he declared his intention to “convene a national executive committee meeting on August 31, including the national executive council, state executive council, city executive council and local executive council, to dissolve the zonal executive councils on the grounds of expiry of their terms.”
Abule, however, refused, saying it is not the governor’s prerogative to make such a decision.
As a result, he told reporters on Tuesday, the party’s national working committee has set up a disciplinary committee to punish erring party members and bigwigs who have taken decisions that may harm the party in future.
He said, “The national working committee is also mindful to make it clear that it is not the responsibility of Dr. Otti, without even acknowledging that the tenure of the current NWC has expired.”
Alex Otti as Abia state governor is set to convene a meeting of the NEC to set up a transition committee. It remains the responsibility of the party’s national chairman and national secretary to convene such a meeting. “Secondly, it is INEC’s responsibility to formally inform the party in writing if there are any objections to the holding of the party convention and to inform the party leadership that their terms have expired.
We want our colleagues to focus on governance and leave the affairs of the party to us.
“The national leadership has therefore stated categorically that it will not hesitate to discipline any party member who refuses to abide by the party constitution and the lawful directives of the leadership. The national leadership hereby declares unequivocally that there is no vacuum in the leadership of our party.
The Labor Party is different from other political parties in that it is not dominated by one man, woman or leader. Nor is it a party that can be dominated by one person. It is a party for the common man. The party’s attitude has enabled people like Dr. Alex Otti to use this platform to win in 2023 after trying and failing in the APC, PDP and even APGA.”
Abule further said Otti’s claim was allegedly based on the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC)’s view that the tenure of the current NWC and other grassroots leaders had expired.
However, the LP leader clarified that there was no difference of opinion with the commission until the party was recently excluded from INEC consultations with political parties.
“Therefore, for any individual, group or institution to speculate that the tenure of the current leaders has expired is not only mischievous but also a deliberate attempt to destabilize the party. Apart from the fact that a Federal Court in Abuja has already declared the March 27 national convention valid, other courts have also challenged the party convention.
“Our law therefore provides that when a case is pending in court, the parties must maintain the status quo to prevent further damage to them.
INEC is expected not to indulge in disputes but to remain neutral and cooperate amicably with recognised party leaders until the court rules otherwise,” he said.