Thursday May 8, 2025 |
The crisis in Labour Party, LP, deepened yesterday as the two factions within the party were locked in accusations and suspensions of members in opposing camps, Vanguard reports.
While Senator Nenadi Usman-led faction set up a six-member disciplinary panel to probe factional chairman of the party, Julius Abure, who she accused of being an impostor, for corruption, the Abure-led faction suspended six prominent members of Nenadi Usman’s faction, including Governor Alex Otti of Abia State and Senator Ireti Kingibe.
Usman, who announced the setting up of the committee at a media briefing in Abuja, yesterday, said the party was tired of the antics of the former chairman, who is now chairman of a faction of the party.
She said: “Pursuant to Article 19 of the Labour Party Constitution (1999 as amended), and in response to serious allegations of corruption, financial misconduct, and anti-party activities, NEC hereby constitutes a disciplinary committee to investigate Julius Abure and recommend appropriate sanctions.
“Members of the disciplinary committee include Senator Ireti Kingibe (Chairman), Peter Ameh (Secretary), Kumba Mbemba, Okejo Onwakalusi, Mr. Ibrahim Abdulkarim and a former acting National Chairman of the party, Mrs. Maria Lebeke.”
The committee, which was given 21 days to submit its report, was charged with the task of investigating the allegations as well as evidence brought before it.
It was also implored to ensure that all the parties were given fair hearing.
Senator Usman explained that contrary to the deliberate attempt by Abure and his co-travellers, the party under her leadership, had taken steps to restore confidence in its affairs.
She said: “Today, we address you on the true state of the Labour Party and to lay bare the facts, the law, and the resolute actions we are taking to reposition the party, in line with the values of transparency, accountability, discipline and internal democracy.
“In the course of our collective journey as a party, we have encountered both progress and challenges. While we commend the judiciary and celebrate the recent Supreme Court judgement that sacked Mr Julius Abure as national chairman of the party and honour the dedication of our members nationwide, we must also confront with courage and clarity Mr Abure and his co-travellers’ divisive actions and familiar manipulative antics that threaten the integrity, public image and unity of our party.
“It is in this spirit of responsibility to safeguard our cherished democratic ideals of the Labour Party and consequent upon Mr. Abure’s unabated misrepresentation and impersonation of the office of the national chairman of Labour Party that the NEC-in-session has reached a hard but necessary decision.
“After a careful and comprehensive review of the Supreme Court judgment delivered on Friday, April 4, 2025, the National Executive Council, NEC, is deeply concerned by the subsequent actions of Julius Abure, particularly his continued impersonation of the esteemed office of the national chairman of Labour Party.’’
LP Moves Against Abure, Sets Up Disciplinary Panel | TheNewsDESK
