By Our Reporter
The Labour Party’s leadership turmoil has intensified following the release of a letter from Peter Obi and Alex Otti to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Dated September 6, 2024, the letter requests INEC to recognize a 29-member interim committee, chaired by Senator Esther Nnenadi Usman, to manage party affairs temporarily.
The letter highlights recent developments, noting that INEC had de-recognized the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) as of June 2024. This action followed a settlement facilitated by INEC on June 27, 2022, which was based on a court ruling by Justice Gabriel Kolawole on March 20, 2018.
The settlement required an all-inclusive national convention to be convened within a year after signing the terms, preceded by ward, local government, and state congresses. The letter alleges that by March 2024, the Abure-led NWC held a convention in Nnewi without first organizing the necessary lower-level congresses, leading to a leadership vacuum.
In response to this vacuum and the depletion of the National Executive Committee (NEC) to fewer than 10 members, key party and labor leaders convened in Umuahia, Abia State, on September 4, 2024. They established a caretaker committee tasked with organizing the congresses and national convention within 180 days to address the leadership void.
The letter lists the committee members, including representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) such as Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, and Comrade Chris Uyot. Senate representation includes Senators Victor Umeh, Neda Imasuen, and Ireti Kingibe, while the House of Representatives is represented by Hon. Afam Ogene, Hon. Seyi Sowunmi, Hon. Sunday Umeha, Hon. Donatus Matthew, and Hon. Esosa Iyawe. Former gubernatorial candidates include Ken Pela (Delta), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (Lagos), Jonathan Asake (Kaduna), and Edward Pwajok (Plateau). State Assembly members in the committee are Hon. Edosa Richard, Hon. Harrison Oghara, Hon. Augustine Okezie, and Hon. Clinton Amadi. The Trade Union Congress (TUC) is represented by Mohammed Misau, Austin Jonah, and Sansa Omalara, with Edwin Bafte Sajo, Nike Oshola, Aishat Madijiem, Ugoeze Caroline Onwubiko, and Dominic Essien also on the committee.
In response, the Julius Abure-led faction has dismissed the committee as “illegal” and “unconstitutional,” challenging Otti to produce official INEC communication that validates the claimed leadership vacuum within the party.