The suspended National Treasurer of the Labour Party (LP), Mrs. Oluchi Opara, has condemned the re-election of Julius Abure as the national chairman for a second term at the recently concluded convention of the Labour Party in Nnewi, Anambra State, News About Nigeria reports.
Abure’s re-election, which came amidst unanimous support from delegates, has been met with mixed reactions, particularly from party members who have been embroiled in internal conflicts over party control.
The conflict between Abure and the Joe Ajaero-led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had previously led to calls for Abure’s resignation by the NLC.
NLC also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to refrain from supporting the party’s National Convention.
In her condemnation of the convention, Opara criticised the process, alleging that it was not conducted properly and was shrouded in secrecy.
She claimed that the event resembled a gathering of Abure’s support group rather than a legitimate political convention.
“It was a gathering of Abure’s support group. Was there a political convention? Where on earth did you ever hear that a convention is held in secrecy? There was never a convention. It was a support group that came together to think or plan for the way forward of whatever the support group was building,” Opara stated.
However, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, defended the convention, claiming that it was conducted in accordance with the party’s rules, electoral laws, and constitution.
He called for unity within the party and urged aggrieved members to work with the newly elected chairman.
“We don’t have any fear. We have finished our convention and now we are not going to engage anybody except to find a way to resolve whatever differences that we have,” Ifoh said.
