Stakeholders in the Labour Party (LP) led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have recommended the formation of a Transition Committee to take over from the Julius Abure-led leadership of the organisation whose dissolution they announced on Monday.
Present at the event in Abuja was a representative of the Obidient movement, an umbrella body for supporters of LP Presidential Candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi.
Abure’s sack followed a vote-of-no-confidence passed by the stakeholders on the purported LP National Convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State last month, which extended the term of Abure as National Chairman of the party.
In a communiqué signed at the end of a Stakeholders Meeting of the Labour Party held on Monday in Abuja, the meeting which was summoned by the political commission of the NLC, called on the transition committee to immediately begin probe of the Abure led leadership of the party
The communiqué was signed by Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, chairman of the NLC political commission, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, former NLC president, Comrade S.O. Ejiofor, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Labour Party, Moses Paul for the Obidient movement and LP Plateau governorship candidate, Chief Yohana Margif.
Others were the Coordinator of the Labour Party Patriotic Members Congress, Dr. Kingsley Okundaye; Kaduna LP Governorship Candidate, Jonathan Asake and representative of Persons with Disability in Labour Party, Ihekwoaba Paul.
The resolution taken by the unionists on Monday also raised concerns on the need to conduct a forensic audit of LP bank accounts in line with the demand of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, following allegations of corruption, forgery and fraud levelled against the leadership of the party.
The stakeholders agreed to write to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all the relevant security organisations in Nigeria to recognise the Transition Committee as the interim leadership of the Labour Party pending the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive National Convention of the Labour Party.
The communiqué reads among other things: “That the Transition Committee once constituted should fully take over the secretariats of the Labour Party all over Nigeria. That the Transition Committee shall immediately set up an assets recovery process of all the properties of the Labour Party. The Transition Committee shall also ensure that ail the cases of fraud, impersonation and forgery of government documents pending against a few discredited former officers of the Labour Party are forensically audited and culprits are diligently prosecuted as demanded by leader of the Labour Party — Mr. Peter Obi. It is unfortunate that the actions of these few dishonourable characters have splashed mud on the white satin of Labour Party.
“That the Transition Committee shall within three months of its constitution ensure the conduct of an inclusive national convention of the Labour Party starting from ward congresses to local government congresses to state congresses culminating in an ail inclusive and expansive National Convention in Abuja.
“Pursuant to the foregoing, the Transition Committee is mandated by the Stakeholders Meeting to begin the process of revalidation of current members of the Labour Party and the registration of new members through the issuance of new membership cards and receipt of membership dues for the purpose of the conduct of an all inclusive and expansive national convention of the Labour Party. It is expected that this mobilisation drive will yield in the first instance a total membership strength of 10 million.”
