The Labour Party (LP), has said it is not aware of the existence of the Party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) that is claiming to have taken over its affairs.
Following LP’s conduct of its national convention in Anambra State where Julius Abure was re-elected Party’s National Chairman, the Board of Trustees (BoT) through, S.O.Z. Ejiofor, its Chairman, declared that Abure’s position will not stand.
According to him, the BoT has taken over the affairs of the Party in line with the March 20, 2018 Federal High Court consent judgement delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, which recognised the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as the owners of LP and mandated that an all-inclusive and expansive national convention of the party be held.
Ejiofor had said “Unlike the charade that took place today (Wednesday) in Nnewi and in tandem with the principles of popular democracy, the all-inclusive national convention will start with grassroots congresses at ward, local government, state and, ultimately, at the national level.”
But in a statement on Thursday, Obiora Ifoh, LP’s National Publicity Secretary of the said Ejiofor is not a recognised member of the Party.
“Labour Party on Wednesday successfully conducted its national convention in Nnewi Anambra state and Barrister Julius Abure was elected unanimously and overwhelmingly by over 350 delegates that were in attendance.
READ ALSO: BoT Takes Over Labour Party, Says Convention That Produced Abure As Party Chair Cannot Stand
“Despite this huge success, It came to the leadership of the party as a huge surprise of a statement trending in the social media purportedly from one Comrade SOZ Ejiofor on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the party claiming that he has taken over the leadership of the party.
“First, ever since Ejiofor stepped down as the first National chairman of the Labour Party over two decades ago, he has neither attended any meeting or played any noticeable role as a member of the party.
“He is not even known in his ward and has not paid a single dime as membership dues which qualifies him as a member.
“It is surprising therefore that after he was “visited” by some leaders of NLC, he suddenly woke up from his slumber.
“The point here is that the Labour Party is not aware of the existence of any Board of Trustees.
“Enough of all these political muscle flexing, Barrister Julius Abure has just been elected by the convention for the first time as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, we urge our detractors to please sheathe the sword and join us to salvage the nation.
“Labour Party is not a political association, it is a party subscribed by all Nigerians including workers, non workers, students amongst others.
“Only people who understand the rules of the party and play by it such as carrying party cards and paying membership dues can have a say on the matters of the party.
“Incidentally, Comrades Ajaero and Ejiofor are not members and will not be allowed to interfere with the internal matters of the Party,” the statement read.
