LP crisis: Suspended treasurer, spokesman disagree on chairman’s re-election

The suspended National Treasurer of the Labour Party, Mrs Oluchi Opara, has condemned the re-election of Julius Abure as the new national chairman of the party.

Abure, who emerged as the new national chairman for the second term at the recently concluded convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, after a unanimous support from delegates, had been involved in a conflict with the Joe Ajaero-led Nigeria Labour Congress over party control.

The NLC had also called for the resignation of the chairman and sent a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission, requesting that they refrain from providing support to the National Convention of the Party.

Meanwhile, Abure’s re-election had been greeted with reactions with party members taking sides.

Reacting to the convention, Opara told our correspondent on Thursday that the convention was not properly done as it was done in secrecy. She said, “It was a gathering of Abure’s support group. Was there a political convention? Where on earth did you ever hear that a convention is held in secrecy? There was never a convention. It was a support group that came together to think or plan for the way forward of whatever the support group was building.”

On his part, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, said that since the convention had successfully been carried out, the party was going to focus on resolving individual differences in the party.

He also called on the party leadership and the aggrieved members to reshape their thoughts and work with the newly elected chairman, noting that the convention was done in line with the provision of the party’s rules, the electoral laws and the constitution.

He said, “We don’t have any fear.  We have finished our convention and now we are not going to engage anybody except to find a way to resolve whatever differences that we have.” Punch