*Abure Re-elected, As Court Declines To Stop National Convention
*Reserves 2027 Tickets For Obi, Otti
THE Labour Party (LP) has called on the President Bola Tinubu to step up and take urgent bold steps to salvage the ailing economy by putting in place measures that will return it to the part of growth.
The party, at its just-concluded national convention at Nnewi, Anambra State, returned Mr. Julius Abure as its National Chairman amid growing controversies over its timing, even as the leadership endorsed its candidate in last year’s presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, for the 2027 election.
LP also passed a vote of confidence on the only state governor elected on its platform, Alex Otti of Abia State, recommending that the party’s ticked for the 2027 governorship election be reserved for him.
According to a communique issued at the end of the convention held on Wednesday, March 27, at the Grand Seasons Hotel, Nnewi, Anambra State, jointly signed by Abure and National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, respectively, LP, after a review of the state of the nation, said grabbing power and running away with it does not matters as much as what to do with it.
The communique said: “After the 2023 general election, the security situation of the nation has not improved, as there is a geometrical increase in numbers of lives lost and the economy has worsened, as the standard and conditions of living of the Nigerian populace has continue to deteriorate.
“Inflation is sky-rocketing, unemployment rate is high, this has led to massive hunger and poverty in the land. This is a result of the continuous devaluation of the currency and increase in petroleum product prices.”
The party, therefore, called on Tinubu to quickly take drastic and proactive measures to save the economy from total collapse and return it to the path of growth and development.
The convention-in-session also advised Tinubu to initiate proactive measures to encourage indigenous producers, so that the country’s Gross Domestic Production (GDP) could increase and dependency on foreign products should be discouraged.
LP recommended a sound economic team that would take a holistic review of various economic strategies be put in place to revamp the economy.
“The convention-in-session also noted with concerns, the renewed insecurity in the country, especially Kaduna, Plateau, Benue and other states.
“The convention calls on the President, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians, which is the primary responsibility of the government.”
It also called for general restructuring of the security architecture to meet with current security challenges facing the country, while advocating decentralisation of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) to pave way for regional, state, local and community policing.
The convention approved the audited financial report of the party for the period 2022 to 2023 financial years, as well as this year’s yearly budget as presented.
LP assured members across the country of an optimistic and bright future, while appreciating all fora, groups and others for their steadfast support in last year’s general election and beyond.
It urged all warring groups to collapse their structure at the ward, local and national levels into the already existing structure of the party, just as it empowered the National Working Committee (NWC) to fill existing vacancies in the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Council (NEC).
Others elected at the convention include Clement Ojukwu (Deputy National Chairman); Ayo Olurunfemi (Deputy National Chairman); Deputy National Chairman (NLC, vacant); Deputy National Chairman (TUC, vacant); Deputy National Chairman (vacant); National Vice Chairman (North Central), Abraham Idoko; National Vice Chairman (Southeast), Ceekay Igara; and National Vice Chairman (South-South), Anthony C. Ezeagwu.
Others are Deputy National Secretary, Rotimi Kehinde Adekunle; Deputy National Secretary, Innocent Okeke; National Treasurer, Ngozi Doga; National Financial Secretary, Dayo Ekong; National Publicity Secretary, Ifoh Obiora; National Organizing Secretary, Yahuza Ahmed; National Legal Adviser, Kehinde Edun; National Women Leader, Dudu Manuga; National Youth Leader, Kennedy Ihanotu; Assistant National Youth Leader (Northwest), Abdulrahman Chindo and Assistant National Youth Leader (South-South), Barry Auotu.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, declined to restrain Abure from going ahead with the convention.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling, rather ordered the plaintiff, Chief Chidozie Ezeugwa, to put all the defendants on notice of the ex-parte application moved by his Counsel, Ammeh Ammeh.
“I have studied the motion ex-parte, the prayers sought therein and the averments in the affidavit in support.
“Upon doing that, it is my opinion that this is not an application to be granted without hearing the other side.
“Therefore, I make an order for the applicant to put the defendants on notice of the ex-parte application forthwith and also for applicant to serve the respondents all processes filed in this suit within 2 days of this order,” Justice Ekwo said
The Judge, thereafter, made an order for the defendants to show cause on the next date why the application of the applicant ought not to be granted and adjourned until April 4, this year, for Abure and others to show cause.
Other defendants in the suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/383/2024, include Ibrahim, Ojukwu, LP and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 2nd to 5th defendants, respectively.
In the motion ex-parte, dated March 20, but filed on March 22 by Christ N., Ezeugwa sought three orders, including an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants jointly and severally from taking steps or any further step in conducting the planned national convention of his party “at Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria or any other venue whatsoever called anywhere in Nigeria on March 27, 2024 or any other date whatsoever until the hearing and determinations of originating process herein.
He also sought an order of interlocutory injunction restraining INEC “from attending the unilateral planned national convention of the plaintiff party” at the said venue and date until the hearing and determinations of the originating process, etc.
In the affidavit he personally deposed to, Ezeugwa averred that he was a card-carrying member of LP, paid all the dues and qualified to attend all its meetings, including the national convention, adding.
He said he was aware of the terms of settlement between the party and NLC, which deprived the party of holding any national convention in March 2024.
He said the issuance of the letter by a unilateral group to review the earlier date fixed for the national convention backward was to frustrate members like him, among others, from attending the convention.
