Ahead of tomorrow’s governorship election in Edo State, the Labour Party (LP), on Wednesday, held its final mega campaign rally with the party’s leaders, such as Peter Obi, Yusuf Baba-Ahmed, Nenadi Usman, Aisha Yesufu, among others, in attendance, canvassing support for the party’s candidate, Olumide Akpata.
However, the embattled National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, and members of his disputed National Working Committee, were absent.
On Wednesday, the Abure camp, at a press conference in Abuja addressed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, accused Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, of betrayal, following the appointment of a caretaker committee, led by Mrs Nenadi Usman, to lead the party.
Mr Ifoh accused Mr Obi and Governor Otti of teaming up with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to frustrate Mr Abure and his NWC.
Mr Ifoh lamented that rather than stand by the party in its trying moment, the two party leaders betrayed their trust by openly dancing ‘Gwo gwo gwo gwon’ with the electoral umpire.
“Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo” is a popular folk music by nonagenarian highlife artist, Mike Ejeagha, which went viral this year on social media.
Mr Ifoh said, “The party is miffed by the actions of our leaders including our former presidential candidate and our only governor who should be defending the party at this trying moment. They ought to know that the LP is going through challenging times over its role in defending both leaders during the 2023 general election. Our leadership went to the trenches with Obi, cascading through the nooks and crannies canvassing for votes.
“For the benefit of hindsight, not a few Nigerians will forget how we accommodated some of these leaders when they were denied tickets in their former political parties. Many who suddenly sought the head of Julius Abure to be served on a platter were rolling on the floors, begging for tickets. Some couldn’t even afford to pay for the nomination forms.
“The same LP leadership stood by our then governorship candidate in Abia through thick and thin, snubbing all sorts of pressures, weathering the political and judicial storms to ensure that victory was achieved. Today, these leaders are now dancing ‘Gwo gwo gwo ngwo’ with us. What a shame, what a betrayal.”
The drama comes barely one week after the party dragged INEC to court to stop the commission from granting recognition to the newly installed Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee.
Days ago, the media was also awash with INEC’s counter-affidavit to the effect that the tenure of the Abure-led executives has expired to justify its attempt to confer legitimacy on the 29-member committee inaugurated by Mr Obi, Governor Otti and the party’s stakeholders.
But Mr Ifoh vowed, on Wednesday, that the ‘illegal arrangement’ wouldn’t stand, stressing that the committee members were handpicked by factions of the party in the most undemocratic fashion.
He also accused INEC of trying to destabilise the party by taking sides and attempting to undermine the LP leadership.
“As you are aware, 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 our suit argued that the Labour Party’s leadership, including Julius Abure, is invalid, stressing that it does not recognise the party’s March 2024 National Convention.
“Every Nigerian alive knows the role INEC played in the 2023 general election and how the electoral will of the people were dashed. It amazes us that those who suffered from this INEC’s ineptitude in 2023, are now joining forces with the commission against the party leadership. For these leaders, there is no qualm to leverage on the INEC’s standpoint of illegality to attempt to seize the leadership of the party.
“We sincerely want to advise these leaders that INEC is and can never be the model on which to launch their annexation agenda. The 2023 saga is still fresh. In one breath, we demonised INEC. In another, you are seen fraternising with them. I ask, where was this loyalty when INEC failed to protect the will of the people in 2023? Let us not be fooled. INEC has not changed, and come 2027, they will once again serve you the portage with the same dish,” he stated.