According to the LP NWC, the Edo State chapter executive committee which carried out the suspension against Abure, lacks the power to do so
By Emma Ogbuehi
Crisis in the opposition Labour Party (LP) to another twist on Saturday with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party (LP), faulting the suspension of its National Chairman, Julius Abure.
According to the LP NWC, the Edo State chapter executive committee which carried out the action against Abure, lacks the power to do so without recourse to its constitution.
The Edo state chapter executive committee of the party, led by Kelly Ogbaloi had at its meeting on Friday night in Benin, ratified the suspension
The committee approved letters of suspension dated May 14, 2024 and May 15, 2024 signed by the ward chairman, Thompson Ehiguese, and ward secretary, Stanley Usiomoh.
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“While the suspension is with immediate effect, you are advised to refrain from holding out or parading yourself as a member of Labour Party, Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State,” the letter said in part.
But reacting to the development, the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, described the suspension as illegal and unconstitutional in a statement.
Ifoh stated that Article 17 Subsection 1 of the 2019 constitution of the Labour Party is clear that only a national convention arranged solely for the purpose of his suspension with a two-thirds majority can suspend or remove the national chairman.
He said, “The ward, LG or even the state has no power to suspend the National Chairman. Besides, an Edo High Court and Appeal Court had also ruled on this matter.
“This dimension is a continuation of the attack on the person of Abure as witnessed during the governorship primaries. It will also amount to nothing and we are not perturbed.”
The embattled national chairman was suspended by his Ward in the Arue-Uromi area of Esan North-East Local Government in Edo State for alleged high-handedness and anti-party activities.
A letter of suspension dated May 14, 2024, and another letter of ratification dated May 15, 2024, both of which were ratified at a meeting of the state executive committee on Friday night in Benin, stated that the suspension is with immediate effect.
It advised Abure to stop holding out or parading himself as a member of Labour Party.
