… Abure’s faction suspends Gov Otti, Kingibe, others
By Abubakar Yunusa
A faction of the Labour Party (LP) led by Julius Abure has suspended Alex Otti, governor of Abia state, and Ireti Kingibe, senator representing the federal capital territory (FCT), indefinitely.
The suspension was announced in a statement released by Umar Farouk Ibrahim, LP national secretary, on Wednesday.
Other members who were suspended are Darlington Nwokocha, Victor Afam Ogene, Amobi Ogah, and Seyi Sowunmi.
On May 2, the Abure-led faction inaugurated a five-member disciplinary committee headed by Ayo Olorunfemi, the party’s deputy national chairman, to investigate some members over alleged anti-party activities.
Announcing the report of the disciplinary committee, Farouk said the national executive “rarified the recommendations of the panel”.
The LP scribe said the suspended members will no longer act for and on behalf of the party.
Farouk said Nenadi Usman, chair of the LP caretaker committee, was omitted from the list because she is not a registered member of the party.
“By this suspension, these former members of the party will no longer act for and on behalf of the party,” Farouk said.
“All concerned institutions including the Nigeria Governors Forum, the National Assembly, INEC and security agencies among others are to take note.
“It will surprise Nigerians and party faithfuls that the name of one Nenadi Usman was conspicuously omitted from the list of the suspended members of the party.
“First, we have said repeatedly that the said Nenadi Usman was and is not a member of the Labour Party being not a card carrying member of the Party.
“We are aware that she is a member of the Obidient Support group that worked and is still working for the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.
“We will therefore not honour her with any sanction being not a member of the party.”
The national secretary said the party’s leadership had said it was not interested in any coalition of opposition parties.
Farouk said the initiators of the coalition “lack the capacity, the character and competence to midwife such a political arrangement”.
The LP is currently divided into two factions; one is led by Abure while the other is being controlled by the caretaker committee under the leadership of Usman.
Earlier, the caretaker committee constituted a panel chaired by Kingibe to probe Abure over allegations of corruption, misappropriation of party funds and anti-party activities.
Speaking at the press conference, Usman accused Abure of “persistently parading himself as national chairman of the party despite being removed” by the supreme court.
