The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has withdrawn the automatic ticket presented to its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi and the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti for the 2027 elections.
This was revealed in a presser on Monday, September 9 after the Abure-led faction held its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja.
The resolution from the meeting included the withdrawal of the automatic ticket that was previously presented to both political stalwarts. The party said that it has thrown open all its tickets, from the presidency to the House of Assemblies to all qualified Nigerians.
This is coming after some leaders of the Labour Party, including Obi, Otti, some elected Senators and House of Representatives members of the party met in Umuahia, Abia State last week to appoint a 29-man care-taker committee to lead the party in the interim.
The Committee which is to be chaired by former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman, will midwife an election of new leadership in 90 days.
Reacting to the Umuahia resolution, Umar Ibrahim, the National Secretary in a statement signed by Julius Abure nullified the decision taken at the stakeholders meeting convened by Otti in Umuahia.
The Abure-led NEC maintained that there was no vacuum in the leadership of the party after “conducting its National Convention in line with its constitution, the Electoral Act and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on March 27, 2024, at Nnewi Anambra State.”
It consequently called on the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, “to stop aiding and abetting the Governor of Abia State Alex Otti to further cause damage to the party.
“NEC in session also note that His Excellency Alex Otti have constantly quoted the INEC Chairman as saying that the tenure of the officers of the party has expired, which His Excellency Alex Otti said has necessitated his calling of the meeting and setting up a Caretaker Committee.
“On the basis of the foregoing therefore, NEC in session hereby call on all teeming members, supporters and members of the general public to kindly disregard the so-called meeting and its outcome.”
The NEC also reimposed confidence in the leadership of Abure led National Working Committee and urged all party members to continue to respect the leadership of the party and obey its lawful directives.
Source: www.mynigeria.com
