Politics
LP crisis: Abure shuns Edo campaign, accuses Obi, Otti of betrayal
Ahead of the Saturday, September 21 governorship election in Edo State, the Labour Party, 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 Obi and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, of betrayal, following the appointment of a caretaker committee, led by Nenadi Usman, to lead the party.
Ifoh accused Obi and Otti of teaming up with the Independent National Electoral Commission to frustrate Abure and his NWC.
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.
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.
Two 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 Obi, Otti and the party’s stakeholders.
But 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.
Senator Ned Nwoko has announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The move, confirmed through reliable sources, has sparked discussions within political circles about its potential implications for the 2027 elections.
According to reports, Senator Nwoko’s decision to join the APC is influenced by speculation that former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is eyeing a Senate seat in the next electoral cycle.
This development is said to have prompted the senator to reconsider his political alliances, aligning with a party that may better support his future ambitions.
Senator Nwoko, who has been a prominent figure in Delta State politics and a key member of the PDP, is known for his strong advocacy for developmental projects and his stance on national unity.
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 21, 2024 Edo State governorship election, Dr Asue Ighodalo on Friday, opened his case challenging the victory of Sen. Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by tendering over 1000 documents used in the election, in support of his petition.
Ighodalo and th PDP in a petition marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024 are contesting Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Okpebholo, winner of the election alleging that there were irregularities during the exercise.
Ighodalo claimed that he scored the highest valid votes and not Okpebholo and wondered why the INEC would declare him the winner.
When hearing resumes on Friday, the Lead counsel to the Petitioners, Adetunji Oyeyipo, SAN, tendered from the bar Certified True Copy (CTC) of Form EC8E which is the INEC’s final declaration result sheet of the poll in support of the petitioners’ cases.
Kenneth Mozia, who conducted the presentations at the instance of Oyeyipo also tendered CTC of Form EC8D; the summary of results from Local Government Areas Collation at the State Level.
Other documents tenders were Certified True Copies of Form EC8Cs, covering the 18 Local Government Areas in the state, CTC of Forms EC8B (Wards Results Sheets) used for the conduct of the election in the 192 Wards in the state were also tendered by Mozia, all in support of the petitioner’s cases.
The petitioners further tendered in evidence 320 Certified True Copies of Form EC8A documents (polling Units results sheets),
While presenting before the court 318 CTCs of INEC’s Polling Units Booklets, each containing Form EC25D, Mozia, again, tendered in court 58 CTCs of Form EC8A (IREV).
Reacting, counsel to INEC, Governor Monday Okpebholo and APC (1st to 3rd respondents), Kanu Agabi, SAN, Onyeachi Ikpeazu, SAN, and D.C. Denwigwe, SAN, who held the brief of Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, objected to the admissibility of the documents
The respondent’s counsel told the court that they would be abducing reasons for their objections to the petitioners’ CTC documents at the final address stage of the petition.
Justice Wilfred Kpochi led the tribunal in response provisionally admitted all the documents tendered in evidence and marked the same as exhibits.
“Learned counsel to the respondents shall state their reasons for their objections at the address stage”, Justice Kpochi held.
Hearing on the petition continues tomorrow, Saturday, December 18, 2024 as the petitioners are expected to tender more documents in support of their petitions.
There was confusion at the entrance of the courtroom where the Edo state Governorship election petition Tribunal were sitting as youth leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC chased out private security men believed to have been contracted by the Governorship aspirant of the PDP in the just concluded Edo Governorship election.
The drama started at the corridor leading to the courtroom when the APC youth leaders and their supporters were prevented from gaining access, before they mobilized their supporters to chase the security men who were dressed in black away.
Speaking to newsmen, two of the APC youth leaders identified as Comrade Kelly and Tony Kabaka, said they have to chase them away as only the DSS and policemen were permitted to provide security at the court.
Meanwhile, former deputy governor of Edo state Comrade Philip Shaibu and Asue Ighodalo of the PDP were present inside the courtroom while the drama lasted.
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