By Gloria Ikibah
Three federal lawmakers of the Labour Party extraction have brushed aside recent claims of their suspension, calling the move unserious and politically motivated. According to them, the action appears to be the last gasp of a former party leader who no longer holds authority. 
Julius Abure, the party’s former National Chairman whose tenure was recently brought to an end by a Supreme Court decision, had issued a statement declaring the suspension of Rep. Afam Victor Ogene, who leads the Labour caucus in the House of Representatives, his deputy Hon. Seyi Sowunmi, and Hon. Amobi Ogah.
In addition to these lawmakers, Abure also named Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Senator Ireti Kingibe, and Senator Darlington Nwokocha who now serves as secretary of the party’s caretaker leadershipas being suspended.
The lawmakers, however, maintain that these announcements lack legitimacy, suggesting they are the reaction of an individual no longer in control of the party’s affairs.
In a joint statement signed by Rep. Afam Victor Ogene, Rep. Seyi Sowunmi, and Rep. Amobi Ogah, titled “Our Former National Chairman Goes Mad Again,” the three LP lawmakers expressed dismay that Abure, instead of working to improve the fortunes of the Labour Party, seemed focused on orchestrating its disintegration to appease external forces driving his actions.
They said further, “From yesterday’s overreach of himself and his band of jesters, it is now evidently clear to everyone who has followed recent events in the Labour Party, that our former national chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, has gone mad again, in a desperate move not to go down alone.
“It’s utterly absurd that Abure, who failed to demonstrate moral integrity during his tenure as national chairman, now claims the authority to sanction party leaders. Only in Abure’s distorted reality can those with questionable character judge others. In the real world, his Supreme Court-nullified leadership status has reduced him to a self-serving shameless impostor driven by personal gain.
“A political party is set up for the specific goal of participating in the democratic process, especially the contestation for power.
Since the Peter Obi effect of 2023, what has Abure and his gang of undertakers done to enhance the fortunes of the party? In fact, we challenge him and his cohorts to name one single individual of note that they have attracted to the party since 2023.
“From Kogi to Bayelsa, Ondo to Edo, what Abure has done is lead the Party to disastrous outcomes.
“All they have excelled in, is run the party as a criminal enterprise, fleecing aspirants of hard-earned cash in exchange for party ticket.
“Even in his native Edo, where he was dragged on the floor like a common felon because of disputations over misappropriated delegate funds, the over-bloated and egoistic Abure couldn’t even win his polling unit for the party.
“Pained of being kicked out of his lucrative position as national chairman, on account of abuse of official malfeasance, Abure and his gang of jesters have resorted to desperate antics in a bid to stay relevant.
“Which self-respecting national chairman of a political party busies himself running around media houses like a press boy? The last time around, it was announcing the sack and replacement of Hon. Ogene as caucus leader, but when that didn’t work, he has resorted to contriving a fake suspension order.
“Abure has appointed himself as a willing undertaker for the destruction of the soul of the Labour Party but ironically, he is only supervising the burial plan of his image and integrity as a public servant and political leader. We wish him well.”
