Labour Party’s Attack on Our Members Tactless, Uncharitable, Says House Caucus

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The  Labour Party caucus in the House of Representatives, has described the recent media attack against them “by the yet to be confirmed” National  Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, as tactless, unprofessional and devoid of emotional intelligence.

The caucus also added that it was unbecoming of a party official, who was still in an acting capacity.

Leader of the Caucus, Hon. Afam Ogene, stated this in a statement yesterday by his Media Adviser, Edward Dibiana, in response to the earlier statement by Ifoh.

Ogene had on Sunday called on the LP leadership to postpone the proposed national convention of the party, which was scheduled for month end, in order to allow room for wider consultations and proper planning.

This, he said was because of the internal bickering among the leadership and the fact that many stakeholders, including the lawmakers, were not carried along in the processes leading to the choice of date and venue for the convention.

He, however, said rather than respond to the call for further consultations and proper planning he raised, “Ifoh strangely went on a disgraceful tirade, accusing the caucus Leader of lying to the public that the caucus was not informed about the contentious convention and rushing to the press to misinform members of the party.”

The caucus noted that, “Ifoh has by this unprofessional, tasteless and infantile outburst, which is fast becoming his trademark, failed to represent his party in a manner that supports a capacity, strategic thinking and emotional intelligence disposition that the position of a party’s spokesman demands.

“The job of a party spokesman, like that of every other public communications expert, is not only to issue press statements, but essentially, to help promote the image and integrity of the party, through application of sense of propriety in conduct and delivery of information of public interest.

“In a manner that would attract support and goodwill for the party across party lines and beyond,  rather than embarrass the party at every turn by making a joke of the responsibility of a publicity secretary and creating more problems for the people you serve, by always playing to the gallery, in the name of ‘I was directed’.”

The caucus therefore, challenged Ifoh to support his claim that it was informed about the convention  with any official document, communicating same to the lawmakers.