The crisis within the Labour Party (LP) has heightened with reports indicating a power struggle involving its Board of Trustees (BoT). The recent convention in Nnewi, Anambra State saw Julius Abure reelected as National Chairman, alongside the reelection of several other national officers of the party.
However, Sylvester Ejiofor, the Chairman of the party’s BoT, released a statement expressing concern over what he termed as a takeover, asserting it happened after the expiration of the tenure of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Abure. Ejiofor emphasized the necessity to prevent any leadership vacuum within the party.
In his statement, Ejiofor highlighted the need for an all-inclusive and comprehensive national convention, citing a Federal High Court consent judgment delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole on March 20, 2018. This judgment recognized the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as the rightful owner of the LP and mandated the organization of an expansive national convention.
The BoT, in collaboration with key stakeholders, plans to outline procedures for conducting the convention promptly. They reiterated their commitment to the agreement signed between former LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, the NLC, and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on June 27, 2022, mediated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Commending LP members for their dedication, the BoT pledged to initiate processes promptly for an all-inclusive national convention, contrasting it with the recent events in Nnewi. The convention, they stated, would commence with grassroots congresses and involve INEC, media, civil society, security agencies, and the general public.
The BoT also praised LP leader Mr. Peter Obi and other key stakeholders for abstaining from the events in Nnewi. They reassured all stakeholders of their commitment to reviving and repositioning the LP as a vehicle for the socio-political advancement of the country and its people.