“INEC punishing us for defending Peter Obi, Alex Otti in 2023 election” — Abure

The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party, LP, has raised concerns about the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, accusing it of unfairly singling them out for retribution based on their active support for the party’s Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, during the 2023 general elections.

This accusation highlights the faction’s perception of being targeted by INEC for their roles in the electoral process.

Abure made this statement during a media briefing delivered by the factional National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.

He also accused the Obi and Otti of betraying all that the Labour Party ever stood for, for now taking sides with INEC which led Nigerians down by bungling the free will of the people during the 2023 elections. 

Ifoh said, “The Labour Party think it expedient to bring to your notice the recent development in the party, particularly, the efforts by some of the leaders of the party including the former presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi and the Abia state governor, Dr.Alex Otti amongst others to annex power of the leadership of the party through subterranean means using the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as their launching pad. 

“The media has been awash with INEC’s counter affidavit to the effect that the tenure of the current executives has expired which was supposed to be a justification for the inglorious,purported Umuahiastakeholders meeting where a caretaker committee was produced. 

“You will recall that His Excellencies, Peter Obi and Alex Otti a few weeks ago convened an illegal stakeholders meeting in Umuahia where they handpicked some of their cronies, a 29-member caretaker committee in the most undemocratic fashion as leaders of their faction of the party. 

“They subsequently wrote a letter to the INEC on September 6, 2024, informing the commission of the purported and non existent leadership crisis in the party.

“They hinged their decision on the fact that INEC informed them that the present National Working Committee of the party no longer have a valid tenure after June, 2024 and because INEC also did not monitor the Nnewi Convention of the party held on the 26th March, 2024, the commission has ceased from transacting business with the party.

Ifoh went further to say the party has since sued INEC, challenging its exclusion from the commission’s refresher training for uploading party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections. 

However, INEC had in a counter-affidavit, filed in response to the suit argued that the Labour Party’s leadership, including Julius Abure, is now invalid, stressing that it does not recognise the party’s March 2024 National Convention, which re-elected Abure as chairman.

“The leadership of the Labour Party is however miffed by the actions of our leaders including our former presidential candidate Peter Obi and the only Labour Party governor, Dr. Alex Otti who should be defending the party at this auspicious and trying moment. 

“They ought to know that Labour Party is going through this challenging times simply because of its role in defending both leaders during the 2023 general election.”