The crisis of confidence rocking the Labour Party (LP) deepened on Monday, as the national leadership of the party threatened to exert disciplinary actions on any member of the LP caucus in the National Assembly who fails to respect party supremacy.
It accused members of the House of Representatives caucus of the party of “failing to be true ambassadors of the people.”
The party was reacting through a statement that quoted the LP caucus leader in the House, Honourable Afam Ogene to the effect that it is unconventional to conduct the national convention before state, local government and ward congresses.
The crisis within the party worsened last week when the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) passed a vote of no confidence in the LP national chairman, Mr Julius Abure, over sundry allegations, including a breach of the LP constitution on the conduct of national convention.
In response to the accusation, the leadership of the party accused the NLC president, Joe Ajaero of meddlesomeness, urging him to relinquish his office and seek to lead the party if he so wished.
The LP House caucus joined the fray as it flayed the leadership of Abure for flouting the constitutional provisions on the holding of convention.
But, the LP leadership lambasted the leader of the caucus, Honourable Ogene, accusing him of ignorance about the procedure for such intra-party exercise.
“It it is pertinent to point out that he is very unknowledgeable as it relates to the provision of the constitution of the party under which he was elected.
“We had expected, though he is coming from the background of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), to not mistake the APC and PDP constitutions to that of the Labour Party.
“In line with Article 15:1-4 of our party constitution, there is no equality of tenure. While the ward, local government and state executives have three three-year tenure, the national executive has four years’ tenure.
“At the moment, party executives in over 16 states are subsisting because they have conducted their congresses.
“We had expected Honourable Ogene to read the constitution of the party before making public comments against the party,” the LP stated.
According to the party, the LP House caucus, through the leader, was duly informed about the coming convention.
“The leader of the caucus is the alter ego of the party, who should defend the party policy and programmes in the National Assembly., and for him to say that the House of Representatives caucus was not informed about the convention is clearly a mischief taken too far.
“We are aghast at the kind of politics Honourable Ogene has chosen to play. It is therefore very unhealthy for him to rush to the press to misinform our members.
“We had expected him to be a liaison between the party leadership and the National Assembly and as a leader he claims to be, to help in ensuring that peace reigns in the party at all time.
“We are also shocked that members of the House of Representatives elected under the Labour Party are always quick to rush to the media whenever we make major decisions.
“This is against the background that they have never risen to the occasion as members of the Labour Party in the House, who are supposed to be the voice of the people and speak truth to power, in spite of the numerous challenges the country is going through.
“Again, considering the sacrifices made by Nigerians in electing these Labour Party legislators, we had expected them to be the ambassadors of the people.
“It appears that they seat at the national assembly for themselves alone. It is obvious that it is only when it concerns the party that they flex muscles.”
They need not be told of the persecution the party leadership has been undergoing in the hands of the government in power as a result of their election into offices and yet, they have no qualms in bringing the party to opprobrium at any given opportunity.
“We, therefore, advise our lawmakers to desist from rushing to the press on party matters. Party internal matters must remain and kept internal matters. The party will not hesitate to discipline any party member who will not respect the supremacy of the party. The party is prepared to defend its ideology and constitution at all times irrespective of whose ox is gored.
“Finally, we want to assure our party members that the leadership is continuing with our consultations with stakeholders at all levels to ensure that free, fair and rancor-free convention is held.”
