NLC sets up transition committee headed by Omar, its ex-president
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Abduwaheed Omar, former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, has been picked by the NLC Political Commission to head a transition committee set up to revitalise the Labour Party (LP) amid the multifaceted drama around its Chairman Julius Abure.
The committee is expected to organise a national convention in the next three months.
Other committee members include Sam Amadi and Abiodun Olamosu as Co-Chairmen and Nnawuihe Nwauwa as Secretary.
The second meeting of LP stakeholders in Abuja on Wednesday decided former LP presidential candidate Peter Obi will be represented on the committee by Yunusa Tanko from Peter Obi Media Reach.
The stakeholders also agreed 13 sub-committees to handle various aspects of the party’s administration.
NLC Political Commission Vice Chairman Theophilus Ndubuaku explained to journalists after the meeting that it was convened to implement resolutions reached at their inaugural meeting.
With the formation of the transition committee, he stressed, there is no longer a leadership vacuum in the LP and the committee is expected to begin work immediately.
“We have decided to put in place a transition committee in view of the vacuum of leadership that exists in the Labour Party. In view of that, the stakeholders have unanimously resolved that the former president of the NLC, Abdulwaheed Omar, should head the Transition Committee of the Labour Party,” Ndubuaku said.
“Also two co-chairmen, Prof. Sam Amadi and Abiodun Olamosu, were appointed to work with Comrade Omar while Mr. Nnawuihe Nwauwa is to serve as Secretary of the Committee.”
Abure was elected LP National Chairman at the party’s national convention in Nnewi, Anambra in March.
The NLC rejected the decision and accused Abure of deceiving himself by assuming the role of LP National Chairman.
Omar expressed his commitment to working diligently and collaboratively with the other members of the transition committee to fulfil their mandate.
He said the committee will begin work on Thursday (today), starting with a plan to rectify the issues the LP faced under Abure’s leadership, which he said have caused significant damage.
Questioned about the legitimacy of the transition committee and whether it aligns with the party’s constitution, Omar explained they relied on the 2009 constitution of the LP as their authoritative and binding document.
He pledged the transition committee will uphold the interests of the LP in the coming off-cycle elections, as long as the candidates are law-abiding.
He also allayed concerns about Obi’s recent visit to LP headquarters in Abuja, saying Obi went there to address candidates running for Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council elections.
Omar reiterated there is clear proof of Obi’s strong support for the efforts of LP stakeholders in positioning the party, and stressed the importance of reconciling all interest groups in the party.
He cited Obi’s consistent emphasis on unity and transparency in managing party affairs.
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