Victor Ezeja
Despite ongoing controversies due to opposition by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) members, Labour Party (LP) leadership went ahead and successfully held its national convention where it re-elected the embattled national chairman, Julius Abure.
At the convention which was held at Grand Season Hotel in Nnewi, Anambra State, on Wednesday, the party leadership also declared that its presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, is the preferred presidential candidate of the LP in the next 2027 general election.
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LP also adopted Abia State, Governor, Dr Alex Otti, as the governorship candidate of the party in the state for the 2027 general election.
This was confirmed in a communique issued by the LP delegates, who attended the convention.
They said Obi and Otti were adopted as candidates of the party for presidency and governorship positions in 2027, respectively because they have through their conduct so far, earned the confidence of the party leadership, members, and teeming supporters.
However, Obi and Otti were conspicuously absent from the convention. Obi’s running mate, in the 2023 election, Datti Baba-Ahmed, Anambra Senators, including Victor Umeh, Dr Tony Nwoye, and a host of other party stakeholders were also absent.
Abia Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu, who represented Otti, served as the chairman of the convention. He declared Abure winner after unanimous support from the delegates.
Apart from Abure about eight others out of the 22 members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) were reelected to their positions during the convention.
“Based on the antecedents of the presidential candidate before, during and after the 2023 general elections, it was recommended that the 2027 presidential ticket of the party be solely reserved for His Excellency, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, the national leader of the party.’’
“Furthermore, the convention in session reviewed the ongoing development and performance of its Governor in Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, and passed a vote of confidence in him and recommended the 2027 Abia State governorship ticket of the party be reserved for Dr. Alex Otti,” part of the communique read.
Prior to the convention, NLC members had protested against, demanding the resignation of Abure. They picketed at the LP secretariat accusing Abure of mismanaging the party and organising a national convention without the input from stakeholders.
NLC has declared the Wednesday convention a nullity, vowing that Abure would not be recognised.
The NLC spokesperson, Benson Upah, said: “It’s an illegality, a nullity. The whole exercise was a charade! Nothing can legitimise such brazen impunity.”
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denounced the LP’s national convention, saying it was not monitored by the Commission.
Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, made this known in Abuja on Thursday.
