Suspension moves against me illegal, inconsequential — Labour Party Nat’l Chair

Forum 1 year ago

Suspension moves against me illegal, inconsequential — Labour Party Nat’l Chair

THE National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP, Julius Abure, has described a purported suspension plan by certain ward executives in Edo state to suspend him from the party as illegal, inconsequential.

The Edo state ward executives, led by the Ward’s Chairman, Martins Osigbemhe, had in a press conference, on Friday, in Abuja, announced the suspension of the LP national chairman over allegations of scandals, forgery, perjury, mismanagement of funds, anti-party activities, among others.

Specifically, in a statement signed by seven out of the 11 members of the ward executives, Osigbemhe pointed out that the decision to suspend the national chairman was reached after the leadership of the ward thoroughly reviewed Abure’s conduct at the end of the just-concluded general elections.

Among others things, he alleged that Abure had moved to install former Edo State House of Assembly Speaker, Uyinmwen Ativie as party’s House of Representatives candidate for Uhunmwode/Orhionmwon, Edo State, with forged Court documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

He said: “Be it known to all men that it is hereby stated that the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure submitted Forged Court Documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in his move to make a former Edo State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt Hon. Uyinmwen Ativie, the party’s House of Representatives candidate for Uhunmwode/Orhionmwon Federal Constituency in Edo state.

“Abure’s Forgery and Perjury against authentic Labour Party Candidates through illegal substitution of their names without their voluntary withdrawal etc and subject to the evidence of non-applicability of the Police Report of indictment and Court Warrant of arrest against Barr Julius Abure and some other National working Committee members.

“Abure’s indulgence in gross Anti-Party Activities with the opposition APC & PDP that led to the failure of the Labour Party in the 2023 Presidential, and some National and States elections through unlawful association and proclamations against labour party candidates.

But, reacting to the development, Abure, in a statement made available to VANGUARD, on Friday, and signed by the National Secretary of the party, Farouk Umar, described the group as faceless.

He said that the acclaimed ward executives were intruders and do not have the legal footing to suspend the national chairman, adding that the announcement is a ploy to distract the leadership of LP at this time.

Denying all allegations against him, Abure said that his activities had been particularly for the favor and growth of the party, noting allegations against were foiled by the opposition party.

He said: “Our Party Constitution is clear on who can suspend and who cannot suspend the National Chairman. They should go and read the party constitution. It is only the National Convention that can suspend the National chairman of the Labour Party. It also must be through such a convention called for the purpose of the suspension of the National Chairman.

“We think that the sudden suspension was an afterthought of some opposition parties purely to distract the leadership of the Labour Party at this time. There is no reasonable party member at this point in time who will be thinking of such a thing when we are pursuing our presidential mandate in the court and all other mandates including the governorship, Senate and House of Representatives that were brazenly stolen.

“Who will be contemplating the suspension of any national party official at this point in time. It is on record that for the first time in the history of the party, the Abure led leadership has succeeded to change the political narratives in the country. A party from the blues competing with the top two political parties and in the process, winning eight Senate and 34 House of Representatives as well as numerous House of Assembly seats.

“We also won a governorship seat while we are in court to retrieve other mandates including the presidency. This is certainly not a matter that should be given serious attention by the media. We ordinarily should be talking to our lawyers by now but the fact that you are dealing with faceless individuals who have obviously been sponsored.”