POLITICS
Peter Obi, NLC Meet To Address LP Leadership Crisis
Former Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, in the early hours of today (Friday), disclosed he met with the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to ensure smooth address of LP’s leadership crisis.
Peter Obi said the meeting was an ongoing effort to encourage reconciliation and unity within the ranks of Labour Party.
The meeting held late Thursday night, but entered early morning of Friday, with NLC Political Commission, was to bring back the spirit of harmony and mutual understanding between NLC and its political arm, Labour Party.
“As part of my ongoing efforts to encourage reconciliation and unity within our rank as Labour Party, I held a productive meeting with the NLC Political Commission today.
“At the all-important meeting, I reiterated my earlier appeal for us to put aside our differences and work together in a spirit of harmony and mutual understanding. I also emphasized the importance of moving forward with a shared sense of purpose and vision,” Obi disclosed in a statement on Friday.
The former governor of Anambra State said a comprehensive stakeholders’s meeting involving NLC leadership and Julius Abure – chairman of Labour Party – to ensure all interests and perspectives are harmonized will be held.
He said he was confident that through open communication, empathy and willingness to listen, all parties in the ongoing leadership crisis would be addressed.
“Following the meeting, I also had a fruitful discussion with Governor Alex Otti, updating him on my engaging in constructive dialogue. Our conversation laid the groundwork for future collaboration and progress.
“In the coming days, we will convene a more comprehensive stakeholders’ meeting, bringing together a broader representation of interests and perspectives.
“I am confident that through open communication, empathy, and a willingness to listen, we will successfully resolve our differences and emerge stronger and more united than ever. Our strength lies in greater unity for our common national good,” Obi added.
Labour Party leadership had been accused by Joe Ajaero, NLC chairman, of running LP against the guiding principle of its founders.
The NLC leadership also condemned the National Convention held on 27 March, by Abure-led leadership in Anambra State.
Labour Party Board of Trustee (BoT) Chairman, Comrade S.O.Z. Ejiofor, in a statement on 28 March, described the Nnewi-held convention as illegal and maintained Abure’s tenure was over.
Also, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) disagreed with the national convention held by Abure.
The controversial National Convention was held without stakeholders of the party, including Peter Obi, Abia State Governor – Alex Otti, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), BoT members and the NLC Political Committee.
“While we commend members of the Labour Party, especially workers, students, youths, market women and men, Obidients, and candidates on the platform of the Labour Party, for their contributions and fidelity to the ideals of the party, the Board of Trustees promises to quickly set in motion processes for the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive national convention.
“Unlike the charade that took place today in Nnewi and in tandem with the principles of popular democracy, the all-inclusive national convention will start with grassroots congresses at ward, local government, state and, ultimately, at the national level.
“This process will not leave any genuine member of Labour Party out and will be held in the full view of the Independent National Electoral Commission, media, civil society, security agents and the general public.
“We commend the leader of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, and key stakeholders in the Labour Party for declining to deodorize the malfeasance that took place in Nnewi with their presence.
“The BOT assures all stakeholders that we are committed to reclaiming and repositioning the Labour Party as the vehicle for the socio-political emancipation of our dear country, her working people and populace,” Comrade Ejiofor-led Labour Party BoT said in a communique.
POLITICS
PDP Disowns Ubolo As Member In Kogi
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially expelled Itodo Ubolo as a member of the party in the Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
In a statement issued on Sunday by Hon. Isah Alhassan, who serves as the party’s chairman in Ofu Local Government and is acting on behalf of the ward chairmen, executive members, and key stakeholders of the party, it was announced that Ubolo is barred from being a member of the party.
Alhassan accused Ubolo of engaging in activities against the party before the 2023 November 11 gubernatorial election in Kogi State, highlighting that he acted independently to further his own interests while working for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
He cautioned Ubolo to cease pretending to be a member of the PDP with the intention of gaining easy recognition in preparation for the upcoming party Congress in Kogi State.
According to him, “You have never been a consistent politician. A man who has changed four political parties within the space of four months.
“Don’t come with your co-travelers to disrupt the peace we are having in Ofu PDP since you and your unstable politicians left the party to join the All Progressive Grand Alliance, (APGA), Accord Party, APC and Social Democratic Party, (SDP) within four months.
“Just because of the recent Court of Appeal ruling affirming the election of Governor Usman Ododo as the winner of the November 11 Governorship election in Kogi State, you have now decided to move from SDP where you were made the Director General logistics and finance to start organizing PDP meetings in your hotel.
“You (Itodo Ubolo) and your co travelers are on a mission to disrupt our party’s upcoming Congress by fielding some of your members to purchase nomination forms to contest various positions across Kogi East.
“I Hon Isah Alhassan, the Divisional Chairman of Ofu Local Government and the entire Local Government Executives of our great party, PDP, say no to your plan.”
POLITICS
‘You Have Become A Destructive Agent’ – Labour Party Directorate Blasts NLC Transition Committee
The Labour Party (LP) Directorate on Mobilization and Integration has asserted that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) National Transition Committee (NTC) has become a destructive agent seemingly working for the government.
World wide gist reports that the Directorate made this known while reacting to a statement purportedly released by the NLC NTC describing Julius Abure as the former National Chairman of the Labour Party.
The statement further directed party stakeholders to boycott the planned Congress organised by LP in Anambra, Imo, Delta and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
However, the LP Directorate, in a statement on Monday by its Director General, Marcel Ngogbehei, maintained that Abure remains the authentic National Chairman of the LP, confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the party’s highest decision-making organ.
Ngogbehei described the purported statement by the NTC as childish, malicious and misleading, noting that the NLC does not have the authority to set up any transition committee for any party in the country.
He urged the LP stakeholders not to be distracted by the ill attitude of the NTC and to ensure that they fully attend the upcoming party congresses as announced by the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC).
Ngogbehei also accused the NLC NTC of working with the government to demarket, weaken and prevent opposition parties like the Labour Party from holding the government accountable.
The LP Directorate added that NTC should engage the government to protect the interest of Nigerian workers and citizens rather than meddling in political affairs.
The statement read, “NTC has become a destructive agent seemingly working for the government to eliminate any perceived opposition structures in the country; the citizens are groaning under government policies that has left the Nigerian Workers more poorer; rather than the current NLC to learn from the Oshiomole years of courageous leadership and engage the Government to protect the interests of Nigerian workers and the citizens at large, they are busy meddling into political party affairs, attempting to demarket the only true opposition party in the country.”
POLITICS
Anyim’s Exit Will Not Sink PDP In Ebonyi – PDP Chieftains
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains have dismissed suggestions that the defection of Anyim Pius Anyim would affect the party’s chances in Ebonyi State.
The former Senate president and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius, defected from the main opposition PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
PDP Former National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan and former PDP Acting National Secretary, Remi Akitoye, said the exit of Anyim would not affect the party or lead to the collapse of the main opposition.
In separate interviews with Independent Nigeria, the two former members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) said the next general election would make so many defectors regret their exit from the party.
PDP former spokesman, in reaction to Anyim’s exit impact on Ebonyi PDP and national party chances in elections, said, “Nobody can collapse PDP. Leaders who are dissatisfied can leave the party but that doesn’t amount to collapsing the party’s structure because the party exists in every polling unit.
“Like you know I’m not the spokesperson of the party. I think that what Anyim has done is honourable. If you think that you don’t have space in the environment, you take your leave.
“That is what he has done instead of staying there and fooling the people. It’s more honourable as far as I’m concerned.”
On his part, PDP’s former National Secretary said, “This is the time a lot of people are playing politics with bitterness.
“I think by next year politics will come to the forefront and things will settle. I’m sure a lot of people who have left now may wish to come back to PDP. Nobody will drive them away.
“Definitely by next year there will be a lot of returnees, that is politics and I believe that it’s good for our democracy at the moment.”
Akitoye said Ebonyi PDP would rise back to build. He said one person could not be dictating for the state’s PDP branch.
“We cannot see it as a destruction. One person cannot be talking for the whole of Ebony State. If I decide to go to the APC I may even decide to say that I’ve brought 20 million people.
“I’m sure that within one or two days people from Ebonyi State will start reacting to the comment. They’ll say, no, let him go with his people, we’re still on ground,” Akitoye said.
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