LP National Chairman, Julius Abure in Abuja. Photo: Georgina Humphrey/Radio Nigeria
The Edo State Chairman of Labour Party, Lucky Ogbaloi, has dismissed the purported suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, by his Ward 3 Esan North Senatorial Zone.
He stated this while speaking with newsmen when a delegation from the constituency on a Solidarity visit to party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.
On Friday, Abure was suspended by the executives of Arue ward 03 in Esan Northeast Local Council of Edo state.
The ward executives led by Martins Osigbemhe said his suspension at the ward level was as a result of alleged forgery and anti-party activities.
“In the constitution of the Labour Party, no state, no local government, no ward has the right or whatsoever to assemble anywhere to suspend a national chairman who is a product of a national convention’’, Ogbaloi explained.
The State Party Chairman and Leader of the delegation said it was unacceptable for a few persons to assemble themselves in Abuja and make the pronouncement they made.
“So we are saying that Mr. Julius Abure remains the national chairman of our party and we have since passed a vote of confidence on him and he shall take this party forward”, he said.
Ogbaloi pointed out that the chairman had delivered on the just concluded election, noting that under his leadership the LP clinched seats both at the National and State Houses of Assembly and governorship in Abia state.
On his part, the National Chairman’s Ward 3 Chairman, Thompson Ehiguese, said those who suspended Abure are not members of the party.
“I am the ward chairman. We heard that there are some persons impersonating to be the ward chairmen and ward executives of ward 3 Esan North Senatorial zone. I am the chairman of ward 3 in my local government and with me here is my secretary” Ehiguese emphasized.
“We are here to dismiss the information about the suspension that is not correct. Ward 3, Uromi where the national chairman came from. I am his ward chairman”.
“Their names are not in our party register. They are not even from Esan and they are not from ward six. We are taking a major action against them. They are impersonators and they will be arrested”, he added.
Earlier, the Local Government Chairman for Esan East, Uromi, Patrick Obed, said the suspension will not see the light of the day.
Writing by Georgina Humphrey; Editing by Annabel Nwachukwu