The Julius Abure-led Labour Party has cancelled the automatic ticket it previously reserved for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi for the 2027 election.
The faction also withdrew the automatic second-term ticker reserved for Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.
This was made known in the resolution of the Abure faction of the part after its National Executive Council meeting held on Monday in Abuja.
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Speaking during a press briefing after the party’s NEC in Abuja, the factional chairman, Julius Abure said the 2027 presidential ticket is now open to all members.
He said, “NEC in session also reviewed the decision of the National Convention to reserve its Presidential and Governorship tickets for Peter Gregory Obi and Alex Otti, respectively.
“Consequently, all party tickets from the Presidency to the House of Assemblies are open to all qualified Nigerians.”
The chairman added that the Abia governor does not have the power to convene a stakeholders’ meeting that produced a caretaker committee led by a former Senator, Nenadi Usman.
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He added, “The NEC in session noted that the Governor of Abia State, His Excellency Alex Otti, who convened the meeting, did not have the power within the Party’s Constitution as provided in Article 14 (4) (B) gives the power to call meetings only to the National Secretary with the approval of the National Chairman.
“NEC in session further reiterates that the Governor of Abia State does not even have the power to call his Ward Executive meeting without the approval and the consent of his Ward Chairman.
“The meeting contravenes the provisions of Section 82 (1) (2) (a) of the Electoral Act 2022, which provides as follows: 82 (1) Every registered political party shall give the Commission at least 21 days’ notice of any Convention, Congress, Conference or meeting convened for the purpose of ‘merger’ and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this act.”
Speaking further, Abure said no governor could harass them out of office, adding that such a person cannot dissolve the National Working Committee, dissolve state councils, or dissolve local government councils.
He said, “No governor that we gave ticket can harass us out of office; no governor, no matter how highly placed, will come and with a fiat, dissolve the NWC, dissolve state councils, or dissolve LG councils; even a military government would not do that. The mandate given to me and my team as leaders of the Labour Party at the convention of the party held on the 27th day of March 2024, will be defended.
“We are at a critical moment in the life of our party. Recent events have shown that those who should stand with us in the fight for a better restructured, organized and united party have chosen a different path.
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“A path not of unity, but of division. I speak, of course, of the illegal gathering that took place in Abia State, an attempt to create a rift within our party, led by none other than His Excellency Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti. This meeting, held without the authority or consent of the National Executive Council, sought to install a so-called ‘new leadership’.
“Let me be clear: this action was not just illegal. It was a betrayal of everything the Labour Party stands for. A reward for loyalty with ingratitude, a reward for support with insubordination.”
This is coming after some leaders of the Labour Party, including Obi, Otti, some elected Senators and House of Representatives members of the party met in Umuahia, Abia State last week to appoint a 29-man care-taker committee to lead the party in the interim.
The Committee which is to be chaired by former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman, will midwife an election of new leadership in 90 days.
However, in a communique signed by Abure, and National Secretary, Umar Ibrahim, the NEC nullified the decision taken at the stakeholders meeting convened by Otti in Umuahia.
The Abure-led NEC maintained that there was no vacuum in the leadership of the party after “conducting its National Convention in line with its constitution, the Electoral Act and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on March 27, 2024, at Nnewi Anambra State.”
It consequently called on the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, “to stop aiding and abetting the Governor of Abia State Alex Otti to further cause damage to the party.
“NEC in session also note that His Excellency Alex Otti have constantly quoted the INEC Chairman as saying that the tenure of the officers of the party has expired, which His Excellency Alex Otti said has necessitated his calling of the meeting and setting up a Caretaker Committee.
“On the basis of the foregoing therefore, NEC in session hereby call on all teeming members, supporters and members of the general public to kindly disregard the so-called meeting and its outcome.”
The NEC also reimposed confidence in the leadership of Abure led National Working Committee and urged all party members to continue to respect the leadership of the party and obey its lawful directives.
It also delegated its powers to fill vacant positions in the NWC and also approved the conduct of State, Local Government and Ward Congress as may be schedule by the National Working Committee in line with party’s Constitution and other Extant laws.
“NEC In session also approved the composition of the diciplinary committee as provided in Constitution.
“NEC in session also approved the review of some disciplinary actions taken against some members in the spirit of reconciliation.”
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