The Labour Party (LP) has urged Nigerians to disregard the activities of the Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the party and its planned illegal National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to take place in Bauchi.
Obiora Ifoh, LP’s Acting National Publicity Secretary, made this call during a news conference in Abuja titled “Labour Party on the Developments in the party particularly on the illegal NEC meeting holding in Bauchi.”
He thanked Nigerians for supporting the party in its quest to regain the mandate given to it by the people through the tribunal.
Expressing disappointment in some former leaders of the party, Ifoh said, “We also learnt though painfully that there will always be a judas in every twelve and in our own case, it is about six of our former leaders who are now suspended.
“A suspended Deputy National Chairman, chose to betray the worthy course of reclaiming Nigeria by selling their conscience to the devil and made money their mammon. As I address you now, six of them, in furtherance of the directives from their paymasters, are meeting in Bauchi for a fake and unlawful National Executive Council (NEC),” he said.
Ifoh further revealed that the planned NEC meeting in Bauchi was surprising, coming barely two weeks after the party held a successful NEC meeting in Asaba, Delta, adding that, “The meeting was attended by all NEC members, including the 36 state chairmen, secretaries, and all members of the NWC. Most of the elected members of the national assembly, the party’s leaders and presidential candidate, trustees, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), also attended the meeting in Asaba.
“Seated here in this hall are all the state chairmen of our party across all the 36 states and FCT. Only last night, all our 36 member-elect of the House of Representatives and our eight Senator-elect were represented in a caucus meeting held with the National Working Committee. Then again, I ask? who are these NEC members that will attend their jamboree in Bauchi?” he said.
Ifoh emphasized that Article 13:2A of LP’s constitution was clear on the composition of the NEC, which included state chairmen and secretaries and all other officers.
He also alleged that the sponsors of the planned illegal NEC meeting were leaving nothing to chance and had vowed to instigate a crisis in the party with the intention of benefiting from the resulting instability, which they hoped would affect the party’s case at the Court of appeal.
