Date – 4/9/2024
The Labour party of Nigeria popularly referred to as LP has set up a 29 member caretaker committee to steer the activities of the party going forward. This decision was reached at the extended stakeholders cum National Executive Council meeting which held on Wednesday the 4th of September at the Banquet hall, Government House Umuahia, Abia state.
The meeting had in attendance the Governor of Abia state, Dr Alex Otti, Labour Party presidential candidate in the last general elections, Peter Obi his running mate Datti Baba Ahmed, serving Senators and members of the House of Representatives,House of Assembly members elected on the Labour party platform, party bigwigs amongst others.
A communique released at the end of the meeting and delivered by the Labour party governorship candidate for Plateau state at the 2023 general elections Pwajok Edward further revealed that the 29 member caretaker committee will be chaired by Senator Nenadi Usman while Darlington Wokocha will serve as secretary.
The committee has also been mandated to work for congresses at the local government, state and National level to hold at the shortest possible time as part of the process to resolve the leadership crisis rocking the party.
Abia state governor who played host to the gathering noted the leadership crisis confronting the party leading to the convening of the meeting. He emphasised the need to save the Labour party from a leadership vacuum going forward. Gov. Otti highlighted the fact that the tenure of the party’s National Working Committee as led by Barrister Julius Abure had expired since June 2023 a situation which portends grave implications for the party going forward.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party at the 2023 general elections Peter Obi explained that the stakeholders meeting became necessary to stem the weakening of the party which he described as the 3rd largest party in Nigeria. He called on the caretaker committee to work towards the reconciliation of all aggrieved members of the party to strengthen the position of the party.
The 29 member committee chaired by Senator Nenadi Usman with Darlington Wokocha as secretary has members drawn from various interests groups representing the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, the Trade Union Congress TUC, the Senate, House of Representatives and Gubernatorial Candidates.
All members of the Labour Party were called upon to support the caretaker committee to achieve the objectives for convening the extended stakeholders meeting.