LP Crisis: Peter Obi, Otti Write INEC for Validation of Recent Stakeholders’ Meeting

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the last general election, Mr. Peter Obi, and Governor of Abia State, Mr. Alex Otti, have written to the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to notify the regulatory body of the setting up of a 29-member caretaker committee to organise the party ‘s congresses and national convention within a period not exceeding 180 days.

The letter, dated September 6, 2024, and signed by Obi and Otti, also informed the INEC chairman of the leadership crisis in the party.

The letter formally unveiled the names of the 29-member caretaker committee.

In the letter, Obi and Otti, who convened the September 4 expanded stakeholders’ meeting of the party in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, where the committee was set up, stated, “You will recall that Labour Party had had a leadership crisis in recent times culminating in the de-recognition of the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) by INEC effective June 2024. This is sequel to the settlement brokered by INEC on June 27, 2022.”

The letter said the settlement was founded on the consent court judgement by Justice Gabriel Kolawole on March 20, 2018.

“A major part of the settlement states that an all-inclusive national convention, preceded by ward, local government and state congresses shall be convened not later than one year after signing the terms of settlement,” the letter said.

It added that because of the 2023 general election, the implementation of the agreement was deferred by one year to 2024.

Obi and Otti stated in the letter, “By March 2024, the Abure-led NWC organised a convention at Nnewi without first organising ward, local government and state congresses. This fell short of the standards and the spirit of the terms of settlement as stated above. In the light of all these, a leadership vacuum arose in the party. In like manner, the National Executive Committee membership got depleted leaving less than 10 members standing.”

The letter explained, “Given the above scenario, the statutory executives of the party made up of the governor, deputy governor, and legislators, in addition to all surviving members of NEC, the leadership of organised labour, representatives of governorship candidates in the 2023 election and subsequent ones, presidential and vice presidential candidates in the 2023 election and other party leaders, met in Umuahia, Abia State, on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 and set up a caretaker committee to organise congresses and the national convention within a period not exceeding 180 days to fill the vacuum created by the expiration of the tenure of the erstwhile leadership of the party at all levels.”

Obi and Otti also informed the INEC chairman that Senator Nenadi Usman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha were appointed by the stakeholders’ meeting as Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of the party’s caretaker committee.

The letter also listed other members of the committee representing critical stakeholders of the party.

They included representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, and Comrade Chris Uyot.

According to the letter, the senate is being represented by 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

The former governorship candidates of the party were represented by Ken Pela (Delta), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (Lagos), Jonathan Asake (Kaduna), and Edward Pwajok (Plateau).

The members of the state Houses of Assembly in  the caretaker committee included Hon. Edosa Richard, Hon. Harrison Oghara, Hon. Augustine Okezie, and  Hon. Clinton Amadi

Representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the committee were Mohammed Misau, Austin Jonah, and Sansa Omalara.

According to the letter, the other members of the caretaker committee are Edwin Bafte Sajo, Nike Oshola, Aishat Madijiem, Ugoeze Caroline Onwubiko, and Dominic Essien.