Prior to the Edo State governorship election on Saturday, September 21, the Labour Party held its final mega campaign rally on Wednesday, however, the party’s embattled National Chairman, Julius Abure, and members of his disputed National Working Committee were not there.
Party leaders such as Peter Obi, Yusuf Baba-Ahmed, Nenadi Usman, and Aisha Yesufu, among others, were in attendance to canvass support for the party’s candidate, Olumide Akpata.
At a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, the Abure camp accused Obi and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, of treason following the formation of a caretaker committee chaired by Nenadi Usman to run the party.
Ifoh accused Obi and Otti of colluding with the Independent National Electoral Commission to undermine Abure and his NWC.
Ifoh regretted that, rather than supporting the party at this difficult time, the two party leaders abused their confidence by openly dancing ‘Gwo gwo gwo gwon’ with the electoral umpire.
Ifoh said, “The party is miffed by the actions of our leaders, including our former presidential candidate and our only governor, who should be defending the party at this trying moment.
“They ought to know that the LP is going through challenging times over its role in defending both leaders during the 2023 general election. Our leadership went to the trenches with Obi, cascading through the nooks and crannies canvassing for votes.
“For the benefit of hindsight, not a few Nigerians will forget how we accommodated some of these leaders when they were denied tickets in their former political parties. Many who suddenly sought the head of Julius Abure to be served on a platter were rolling on the floors, begging for tickets. Some couldn’t even afford to pay for the nomination forms.
“The same LP leadership stood by our then governorship candidate in Abia through thick and thin, snubbing all sorts of pressures, weathering the political and judicial storms to ensure that victory was achieved. Today, these leaders are now dancing ‘Gwo gwo gwo ngwo’ with us. What a shame, what a betrayal.”
The drama comes only one week after the party sued INEC to prevent the commission from recognising the newly formed Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee.
Two days ago, the media was also saturated with INEC’s counter-affidavit claiming that the tenures of the Abure-led executives had expired in order to explain its attempt to legitimise the 29-member committee launched by Obi, Otti, and party stakeholders.
However, Ifoh declared on Wednesday that the ‘illegal arrangement’ would not stand, claiming that the committee members were handpicked by party factions in an undemocratic manner.
He also accused INEC of seeking to destabilise the party by taking sides and undermining the LP leadership.
“As you are aware, the party has since sued INEC, challenging its exclusion from the commission’s refresher training for uploading party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
“However, INEC, in a counter-affidavit filed in response to our suit, argued that the Labour Party’s leadership, including Julius Abure, is invalid, stressing that it does not recognise the party’s March 2024 National Convention.
“Every Nigerian alive knows the role INEC played in the 2023 general election and how the electoral will of the people was dashed. It amazes us that those who suffered from this INEC’s ineptitude in 2023 are now joining forces with the commission against the party leadership.
“For these leaders, there is no qualm to leverage the INEC’s standpoint of illegality to attempt to seize the leadership of the party.
“We sincerely want to advise these leaders that INEC is and can never be the model on which to launch their annexation agenda. The 2023 saga is still fresh. In one breath, we demonised INEC.
“In another, you are seen fraternising with them. I ask, where was this loyalty when INEC failed to protect the will of the people in 2023? Let us not be fooled. INEC has not changed, and come 2027, they will once again serve you the portage with the same dish,” he stated.
