The Labour Party (LP) leadership tussle deepened yesterday as its National Transition Committee (LPNTC) insisted that the national chairman, Julius Abure, must resign.
The labour leaders, who stormed the venue of the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja, said the tenure of Abure and others members of the NWC would expire by month end.
The meeting was convened by LP presidential candidate in last year’s election, Peter Obi.
As the labour leaders attempted to enter the venue, the police fired teargas to disperse them.
Transition Committee Chairman Comrade Abdulwahed Omar said it is “either we find our way forward or we make our way forward.”
Omar, a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said: “The issue at hand is that the tenures of Abure and the National Working Committee had expired by the end of this month. And there can not be a vacuum in leadership.
“We have tried to do it peacefully. As much as possible, if we can resolve this issue without fighting, that will be good. But from what we have witnessed today, it appears certainly, that it is either we find our way forward or we make our way forward. This I assure you.”
He added: “We will not tolerate lawlessness, but if anybody decides to be lawless because he has power to pay and subvert our efforts, I want to assure that we are also capable of doing whatever anybody can do. We can do more.”
Omar said the committee has been given the mandate by stakeholders to organise a new and an all-inclusive national convention.
Obi, who addressed the labour leaders outside the party secretariat, said he convened the meeting to reconcile aggrieved party members.
He urged the party leaders to reconcile aggrieved party members and supporters.
Obi said every discord within the party would be addressed in no distant time.
He said party leaders must sit at a table and decide the future of the party.
Obi said the reconciliation between the party and its estranged former leaders, led by former Deputy National Chairman (South), Lamidi Apapa ,was a welcome development.
He said: “Let me tell you one thing; their reconciliation is all about our party and I can assure you that everyone must reconcile with each other.
“During our meeting before we learnt that our people were outside, I told them that my first assignment was reconciliation, my second assignment was reconciliation and my third assignment, reconciliation.
“I can tell you that what you witnessed earlier is a normal thing in our lives. I do the same thing. It is what I do every day, even in our families. When we quarrel with our wives and children, we reconcile. Even today, during the meeting, I made one instance which is that I have come to start the work of reconciling the family.”
Obi added: “So, these people here are members of the family who we must reconcile with. We are going to sit down around a table and decide the future of our party. I am ready for a reconciliation meeting any day you choose.
“And I like what happened here today. This means we have just started the reconciliation process and what we achieved today was so much, as I told you sometimes it happens in my house and I allow it because that is the only way I know how mature my children have become.”
Abure, in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, expressed satisfaction with the leadership roles Obi has been playing in the party.
He said: “Labour Party is happy with your reconciliation project and we will give you all the supports. We are not the aggressor here, we have always wanted peace because we can’t go into future elections with a divided loyalty.
“We have said that we are focused on 2027, that is why we are the only party that has produced its candidate for the 2027 presidential election. We know where we are going and we have refused to be distracted. We will definitely get to our destination of giving Nigerians a better nation.”