‘Desist From Escalating Further Crisis’ – Labour Party Scolds Members Against Attacks On Abure

The Labour Party (LP) leadership has warned members and supporters of the Obidient Movement against incessant attacks on its National Chairman, Julius Abure.

Naija News reports that the party on Wednesday responded to the petition from some aggrieved LP members and stakeholders demanding the resignation of Abure following an allegation of corruption levelled against him.

The petition jointly signed by a LP party elder, Diokpa Ajufo, member of Obidient Movement, Zariyi Yusuf, representative of Advocate For A New Labour Party, Dr Peter Piper, leader of Obidient Diaspora, Tony Asekome and member of Obidient Movement and Advocate For A New Labour Party, Prof Chris Nwaokobia, disclosed that the damning revelations of LP erstwhile Youth Leader, Anselem Eragbe, about a heavily compromised and transactional party under Abure were rife.

Among other things, they also said the recent allegation by LP governorship candidate in Bayelsa, Udengs Eradiri, that the party excos sabotaged his chances by collecting gratification from Governor Douye Diri revealed how sickening the party has become.

However, the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, in a statement, warned the aggrieved members and the various bodies they represent to desist from escalating further crisis in the party, stressing that criticisms should be tailored to aid growth and development in the party.

The spokesman also disowned them, saying the signatories failed to win their Local Government Areas and States during the election, adding they were not genuine card-carrying party members.

He said, “It is natural that after every electoral contest, a few individuals may be disgruntled or aggrieved and as such, the party leadership may be exposed to all forms of criticism by both members and non-members alike. But we advise that such criticism must be tailored to aid growth and development in the party, and not necessarily to be destructive.

“Labour Party has had its fair share of intra-crisis and we think that members should desist from escalating further crisis. Being new joiners and not knowing the culture of the party (some of them just a few months old in the party), of course, that is what you get when ignorance and overzealousness overwhelm your reasoning.

“Most of those who authored the statement did not even win their units let alone win their Local Government and State. It is on record that most members of the National Working Committee of the party delivered their units and their states. Barrister Julius Abure, for instance, scored 79 per cent in Edo state, thereby denying other political parties the opportunity to score the required 25 per cent in the state.

“A cursory look at the authors of the statement will also reveal their ignorance on the workings of the party, party constitution, electoral act and the 1999 constitution as amended.”