The leadership of Labour Party (LP) has suspended the party’s National Legal Adviser, Osun State Women Leader and 11 local government chairmen for alleged anti-party activities.
The leadership of the party, through its Osun State Chairman, Prince Bello Adebayo, addressed reporters at the party’s secretariat yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital.
Adebayo said the suspended executives of the party participated in a factional National Executive Council meeting held in Bauchi.
The Osun LP chairman also alleged that some executives and members were sponsored to hijack the party’s structure at the national and state levels to foil the case of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, at the tribunal.
He said,
“Without prejudice, we are all aware that our party is currently facing some challenges at the national level. This is snowballing into a crisis in some states. However, we have been so lucky in Osun State. The state executive of the party has remained united, in spite of the shenanigans of some people.
“We cannot shy away from the fact that some members of the party have been attempting to take advantage of the crisis at the national level to cause confusion and division in Osun State chapter of the Labour Party. We equally acknowledge the presence of members with inordinate ambition, which is gradually leading to the fictionalization of the party”.
He added,
“The intention is to create parallel structures at the national and the state levels to lend support to the dirty agenda of scuttling the legal struggle of reclaiming the mandate of Mr. Peter Obi and Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed in the 2023 presidential election.
“We observe that if the activities of these undemocratic persons were not checked on time, they will either weaken the Labour Party structure in Osun or collapse it totally.
“Based on the foregoing, the State Executive Council of the Labour Party met on Thursday, May 11, 2023 to address all the issues and forge ahead.
“At the meeting, we resolved, among other things, that we affirm and assert our loyalty, support and commitment to the National Working Committee of our great party, led by our lawfully recognized National Chairman Julius Abure.
“All identified card-carrying members of the Labour Party who were part of the so-called NEC meeting that took place in Bauchi, Bauchi State, on Wednesday, May 3, 2022.
“Among those identified and affected by this decision are: Samuel Akingbade (National Legal Adviser), Mrs. Susan Ojo (State Women Leader) and 11 chairmen of local government of our party in Osun State who participated in a meeting organized by the National Legal Adviser and the suspended State Woman Leader. They are hereby suspended from the party indefinitely.
“These members stand suspended for anti-party activities and gross misconduct. This decision will be forwarded to the National Working Committee of the Labour Party and other relevant bodies, including all security agencies for further actions”.
Adebayo also said the Osun State Exco of the party, led by himself, remained committed to ensuring the party’s unity to make it the most formidable political platform in the state and Nigeria.
