The Labour Party (LP) in Enugu State has condemned a recent meeting held by some party members in Enugu North senatorial Zone, describing it as illegal and a violation of the party’s constitution.
In a statement made available to DAILY GAZETTE which was signed by the state chairman, Dr. Casmir Agbo, and the publicity secretary, Barr. Onuorah Odo, the party reaffirmed that only the state chairman has the constitutional authority to convene meetings at the state level.
Any attempt to sidestep this process, they argued, is a direct affront to party discipline and unity.
According to the statement, a group of elected LP members from Enugu North Zone, alongside a few others, held an unauthorized meeting and issued a communique affirming their support for Peter Obi.
While the party acknowledged that Obi’s influence and role in the party have never been in doubt, it criticized the move as an attempt to create division between the former presidential candidate and the national chairman, Barr. Julius Abure.
The party warned that such actions threaten to derail ongoing efforts by the National Working Committee (NWC) to resolve internal disputes and court cases that have plagued the LP in recent times.
It stressed that party members should focus on strengthening unity rather than engaging in activities that could deepen discord.
The statement reads in part:
A REBUTTAL OF A PURPORTED COMMUNIQUE ISSUES BY SOME DISGRUNTLED LP MEMBERS OF ENUGU NORTH ZONE.
“Let me start by commending all the labour party members in Enugu State for being loyal members of the party save for some who are bent on subverting the constitution of the party.”
“It will interest us to also State that by the provisions of our constitution, it is the chairman at any level that has the power to convene a meeting and anything to the contrary is a violation of the party extant laws. Therefore it is the State Chairman that is vested with the power to call for a meeting of the party in the state to take any critical decision.”
“Labour Party Enugu State under the leadership of Dr Agbo Casmir Uchenna Esq ( IION) will at all times abide by the party constitution. It is perilous and a call to disobedience to our party constitution for any group by whatever name called to disobey the National Chairman of a party and by extension the State Chairman and the duely constituted caretaker committee to convene a meeting not authorized by them.”
“The Enugu State labour party got the wind that some elected members of our party in Enugu North zone and some handful others illegally rose from a meeting that they are in support of Peter Obi which has never been in doubt.”
“This statement is capable of causing further rifts in the party which has been entangled with court cases for some time now and the effort of the National Chairman and his NWC in bringing Peace to our dear party.”
“This was done with a view to causing more rift between Pete Obi our former President candidate and our amiable National Chairman Barr Julius Abure Esq. They are aware that the NWC is making every frantic effort to stem down any misunderstanding and by this illegal meeting which didn’t involve the State Working Committee is capable of sending illegal signals to the efforts of our National Chairman in stemming the tide of discord.”
“We expected the elected members to channel their efforts to help the NWC to resolve this unwarranted and avoidable rift more so when a competent court has spoken twice on this vexed issue in the party.”
“The party therefore disassociates herself from the purported illegal meeting as the power to convene was not consulted which is a complete violation of our party constitution. We also frowned at the manner the said illegal communique was released as the signatories are not authorized to do so more so when our party was not consulted.”
“The party therefore call on those who illegally convened the meeting to immediately tender an apology to the State Working committee and the National Working Committee of the party.”
“The Labour Party Enugu State further advises our elected members to read our party constitution very well to avoid these ugly incidents in future and to reach out to the National Chairman and his NWC in helping to reach an amicable solution to this self inflicted injury.”
“The NWC led by Abure has reiterated many times by calling on HE Peter Obi to come back and help build the party and heal all wounds arising from the last National Convention of the party. Needless to continue to fuel the ember of conflicts in the party by unwarranted communique.”
“Finally, LP Enugu State disassociates herself from this meeting as it is not authorized by her. We are committed along with Julius Abure led NWC in making sure that all problems are amicably resolved for a united Labour Party. Long Live FRN. Long live National Labour Party. Long Live Dr Julius Abure. Long live Enugu State LP.”
