The Labour Party’s (LP) chairmanship crisis has intensified as Callistus Okafor, another contender for the seat of national chairman, has denounced the stakeholders’ meeting organized by Abia State Governor Alex Otti as illegal, unconstitutional, and merely a “jamboree.”
Okafor criticized the meeting that resulted in Senator Nenadi Usman being named interim LP national chairman, asserting, “We want to bring to the notice of the general public that the jamboree gathering tagged Labour Party Stakeholders meeting held in Umuahia, Abia State, is unconstitutional and not known to any organisation of the party.”
He referred to Article 11 of the 2009 LP constitution, which outlines the party’s organizational structure, stating, “Article 11 of the 2009 constitution, which is the only constitution known to the party according to the consent judgement delivered by Hon GO Kolawole on the 20th March, 2018, categorically states the four organisations of the party: Ward, Local Government Area, State and National.”
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Okafor further argued that both Dr. Alex Otti and Mr. Peter Obi lack the constitutional authority to convene such meetings, challenging, “We challenge Otti to produce the official letter addressed to him from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on the subject.”
He reaffirmed his commitment to party unity and said, “We are committed to reconciling all members and groups, mobilising and conducting all-inclusive and expansive congresses in Wards, Local Government Areas, States, and the National convention that will achieve a unified, focused Labour Party that will redefine political leadership in Nigeria.”
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