Abure: Those Who Begged For Our Party’s Tickets Now Fighting Us
We’re on rescue mission, says Caretaker Committee Chairman Usman
Why chairman had to go, by Baba-Ahmed
The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has expressed anger that some of those who begged to join the party ahead of last year’s general election are currently at loggerheads with its leadership.
It expressed disappointment over the role of its presidential candidate in last year’s general election, Mr. Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor Alex Otti in the party’s leadership crisis.
A former Finance Minister Nenadi Usman was appointed the national chair of the LP caretaker committee, following a stakeholders’ meeting convened by Otti.
Obi, and his running mate in the last general election, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, were among the top party members at the meeting.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the Abure faction said: “For the benefit of hindsight, not a few Nigerians will forget how the Labour Party reduced its guards in accommodating some of these leaders when they were denied tickets in their former political parties.
“Many of these men, who are holding several political offices but suddenly turned warriors today, seeking 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 Labour Party leadership went to the trenches with our presidential candidate, cascading through the nooks and crannies of Nigeria canvassing for votes. We went through the entire judicial hurdles, dared the principalities and powers. We were haunted, maligned and, in some cases, chased around by agents of the state because of our unflinching commitment and uncompromised standing with our presidential candidate.
“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.
“As you are aware, the party has since sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), challenging its exclusion from the commission’s refresher training for uploading party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
“However, INEC had, in a counter-affidavit filed in response to our suit, argued that the Labour Party’s leadership, including Julius Abure, is now invalid, stressing that it does not recognise the party’s March 2024 National Convention, which re-elected Abure as chairman.
“The leadership of the Labour Party is, however, miffed by the actions of our leaders, including our former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the only Labour Party governor, Dr. Alex Otti, who should be defending the party at this auspicious and trying moment. They ought to know that the Labour Party is going through these challenging times simply because of its role in defending both leaders during the 2023 general election…”
But Baba-Ahmed explained that Abure was not removed by any governor but by the constitution of the party after the expiration of his tenure.
Baba-Ahmed, who spoke at the inaugural meeting of the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) on Tuesday in Abuja, urged the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) to sheathe their swords and join hands with the caretaker committee to rebuild the party.
He denied the existence of any crisis in the LP, assuring party members that it would win the 2027 presidential election and more seats in the National Assembly.
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