Beyond Suspension of Labour Party’s National Youth Leader

Emameh Gabriel reports that recent suspension of National Youth Leader of Labour Party, Eregbe Anslem, is raising some dust within the party

Fast growing opposition political party, Labour Party, last week suspended its National Youth Leader, Comrade Eregbe Anslem, over what leadership of the party described as gross misconduct, a development that has lent credence to speculations about cracks within the party.

But beyond the allegations levelled against the suspended Youth Leader, there are salient issues being raised by his suspension in the public space.

While it is yet unclear what could be of the party after last week’s incident, the disagreement between some of its old members and the new entrants, media war between the suspended National Youth Leader and the party leadership may have a way of distracting it to focus more on strategic planning ahead of 2023 polls.

National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, had since the party came to limelight in the last few months proven to be a good crisis manager. He has against all odds and pressure from certain forces put strategic measures in place to accommodate what many in his position could not do.

But observers believe that the suspension of one of its NEC members, one that is saddled with the responsibility to mobilise the largest voting demographic in injury time and in few months to the general elections, could spell doom for the party, no matter how little the crisis seems.

A youth arm of the party believed to be loyal to Eragbe had on the night before his suspension at FCT NUJ secretariat in Abuja threatened to fight back should leadership of the party carry on with the plan to suspend him. 

They told journalists that there was more to what was made available to the public.

“They should have addressed this issue from within and allow us concentrate on how we can win the elections. You can’t just suspend somebody who has sacrificed so much for the party like that”, said one of them.

“He was one of the presidential candidates of the party who willingly stepped down for Peter Obi before he became its Edo North Senatoral candidate. That was a big risk. They are exposing him to the opposition parties who could use him against Labour Party. I hope they know what they are doing”, said another.

Eragbe’s suspension came less than two weeks after Labour Party unveiled its Presidential Campaign Council committee, which almost plunged the party into crisis. This followed disagreement by the National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, with the composition of the PCC list which he said does not reflect the true position of the party.

He even went further to describe the press conference organised by Dr Doyin Okupe to unveil the PCC members as illegal. He described Okupe’s move as one who came to usurp the structure of the party from the national chairman without recourse.

Although the party leadership had in a subsequent briefing endorsed the PCC list earlier announced by Okupe, there is clear disquiet among some members of the party on its prospect going into the presidential election.

At a press conference held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja last week, the National Publicity Secretary the party, Abayomi Arabambi, explained to newsmeb that Erabe’s suspension was informed by allegations of “forgery, issuance of certificates to groups unknown to the leadership of the party without the approval of the National Working Committee or the National Chairman, the launch of a fund mobilisation website to receive funds without the approval of the National Working Committee or the National Chairman” and sending official letters “to some individuals without the approval of the National Working Committee or the National Chairman”.

Abayomi described the actions of the National Youth Leader as “gross misconduct, disobedience to the constitution of the Labour Party and other acts”.

While accusing him of anti party activities, he said the suspension will last for six months and that will depend on how Eragbe conducts himself while the suspension lasts.

He said: “In essence, he seems more to be working against the aspiration of our presidential candidate. Ever since he became our senatorial candidate in Edo State, he has been hobnobbing with our major foe and that alone is an act that cannot be condoned by the leadership of this party.

“And we followed the laid down rule where the disciplinary committee was set up during our NWC meeting with himself in attendance. He was invited, the allegation was tabled before him but he was unable to defend himself. So inadvertently, we have complied with our constitutional provision before any national officer is suspended”.

Reacting, the suspended National Youth Leader of Labour Party, Anslem Eragbe, who is also the party’s Edo North Senitoral candidate has described his suspension as null and void, describing it  as politically motivated and selfish by some persons in the party.

According to him, the whole issue around his suspension was rooted in battle to control the funds expected for the prosecution of the 2023 presidential campaign of Mr. Peter Obi.

Eragbe who spoke with some reporters after his suspension, said all the allegations levelled against him by the party were baseless and unfounded.

He tendered a three-page document which he made available to journalists and also addressed to the IG of Police, DSS, EFCC and other relevant security agencies calling for his reinstatement.

He said: “I demand that the National Chairman of Labour Party with immediate effect withdraw his suspension against me”.

Eragbe explained, for instance, that the fund rasing “proposal was explicit and showed how members and supporters of the party would contribute as low as N500 and based on the proposal it could reach up to N10billion minimum to the party

According to him: “Basically it is the constitutional right of the individual and members of the party, not just party officers, left alone ranking party official like myself to raise funds for the party when necessary.

“I designed the entire package and process to solicit the support of well meaning Nigerians and I was able to get people who believe in what I have designed to support the party. That estimate was about N10 billion. I have approval for those N10 billion and I have taken the chairman of Labour Party, Julius Abure, to such persons who have agreed to support our cause, not once, not twice, not thrice.

He cited Article 9(3vii) of the party’s constitution

which obliged members to participate in the activities of the party e.g: Election campaigns, rallies, fund rasing functions and meetings.

The embattled Youth Leader further said: “The issue of fund raising for political parties if you go to section 87 of the Electoral Act 2022. The law also makes it explicitly that individuals, the candidates and the party can engage in fund raising.

“The constitution of the labour party empowers the National Youth Leader to be in charge of the youth mobilisation. The law says, the National Youth Leader of the party shall initiate and implement strategic programme and policies to endear Labour Party to the youths of this country. Part of those programmes towards implementation is funds raising.

Eragbe also explained how he had used his personal resources to fund all his initiatives, which he said have yielded billions of naira for the party today.

He said: “As the National Youth Leader to the party, I designed a fund raising programme for national mobilisation.

“I have done all of this personally from my pocket. The party has not given me a dime. I wrote a proposal of N12.3m sometimes in June to the chairman, as I speak with you, that proposal is still on his table and has not been attended to.

“What is the issue here? I am now an outcast for the initiative that I developed?

“On the issues of suspension, the National Chairman was wrong even if it was within his power to make reference to the Disciplinary Committee in the case of any official breach.

“The National Chairman brought up five allegations against me and referred them to the Disciplinary Committee and I met them on the 17th October, 2022 and the National Chairman approved the Committee’s report which I have not seen. He went further to ratify the committee’s report which I have not even set my eyes on.

“But the laws says you cannot remove a ranking officer like me or like himself. Article 17 (ii) of the Labour Party Constitution reads: “Any other National (s) officer of the party may be removed by 2/3 of majority of the votes cast by members at a convention or National Executive Council, NEC.

“All that the National Chairman ought to do was to have referred the report of the Committee to the National Executive Committee of the party or to be called and whatever the committee recommended, I will be there to defend in case there are issues I have to defend. Let NEC be called. That report I don’t even have it. It’s my right. All the issues raised are unfounded”,  said Eragbe who called on the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, to wade into the crisis before it escalates.