The Labour Party (LP) has criticized its House of Representatives caucus for advocating a change in the party’s upcoming national convention, accusing them of failing to uphold the interests of the people they represent.
In a statement issued on Monday, Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, cautioned the lawmakers to adhere to party authority or face disciplinary measures.
The House of Representatives Caucus of the LP at the weekend called for the postponement of the national convention scheduled for the end of this month.
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The Labour Partycaucus leader in the House, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, in a statement on Sunday in Awka, Anambra State, said the postponement was necessary to allow for further consultations in the light of the party’s lingering leadership crisis.
But the LP national leadership had in a letter dated March 13, notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the proposed conduct of the national convention of the party.
The letter said that the venue was changed from Benin City, Edo state, to Umuahia, Abia State, while the date was altered from March 29 to March 27.
The proposed national convention had pitched the party against the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and elected lawyers on the platform of the party.
The NLC and some supporters of the former Presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, have called for the sack of the National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure, for planning to hold a convention without the input of stakeholders in the party.
The NLC, in a statement by its Political Commission, called for the suspension of the planned convention and the setting up of a caretaker transition committee to organise a legitimate convention, leading to a row between the NLC and LP, with Abure asking the President of the NLC to resign and contest for the position of LP chairman.
However, the LP National spokesman, Ifoh in the Monday statement said that the statement by Hon. Ogene, shows that he is unknowledgeable as it relates to the provision of the constitution of the party under which he was elected.
“We had expected, even though he is coming from the background of PDP and APC, he should not mistake the APC and PDP constitutions to that of the Labour Party. We would like to educate him to note that as the other parties’ constitutions are different so is 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 years tenure, the national executive has four years tenure.
“As at the moment, party executives in over 16 states are subsisting because they have conducted their congresses. We had expected Hon. Ogene to read the constitution of the party before making public comments against the party.
“We therefore advice 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,” Ifoh said