Six members of the Enugu State House of Assembly elected on the platform of the Labour Party, on Thursday, defected to the Peoples Democratic Party.
This was as a statement on Thursday by Sylvester Ejiofor, who described himself as the Chairman of the LP Board of Trustees, declared that the party’s leadership had been taken over from Julius Abure.
Ejiofor, in the statement, declared that Abure’s tenure had ended, dismissing his re-election on Wednesday at a convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State.
The six Enugu LP lawmakers, who defected from the party, hinged their decision on the crisis rocking the party, alluding to the recent picketing of the LP state offices by the Nigeria Labour Congress recently.
The lawmakers cited “the existence of irreconcilable division, incessant crisis within the Labour Party at the national level and across all the state chapters.”
“Regrettably, the party has evolved into state of perpetual discord with various factions embroiled in legal battles, thereby undermining its ability to effectively serve the interest of the people.
“The Labour Party, once a beacon of hope for progressive ideas, has regrettably become synonymous with internal squabbles, thereby reducing its capacity to fulfil the aspirations of electorates.”
They cited the leadership tussle between the LP National Chairman, Julius Abure; and the factional National Chairman, Lamidi Apapa faction.
They expressed hope that the PDP would give them the platform to continue to serve the interests of their people and thanked the leadership of Labour Party for their support.
The defectors included the Chief Whip of the House and member representing Igboeze North I, Ejike Eze; the Leader of the House and member representing Enugu North, Johnson Ugwu, and the member representing Enugu South Rural, Princess Ugwu.
Others were the member representing Nsukka East, Pius Ezeugwu, member representing Igbo-Etiti West, Amuka Williams, and member representing Oji River, Osita Eze.
The motion for their defection was moved by Iloabuchi Aniagu and was seconded by Eneh.
The Enugu State Chairman of the party, Casmir Agbo, told our correspondent on telephone that the party would meet on Thursday next week and take decision on their defection.
Meanwhile, in a statement on Thursday, Ejiofor, who described himself as the LP BoT Chairman, said the BoT had taken over the party.
He said, “Following the expiration of the tenure in office of the immediate past National Working Committee of the LP headed by Mr. Julius Abure, the BoT, in line with the party’s constitution, has stepped in to steer the affairs of the LP. This step is to avoid any leadership vacuum in the LP.
“Furthermore, the BoT of the LP, in consultation with major stakeholders in the party will soon communicate the processes for the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive national convention of the LP.
“This is in line with the March 20, 2018 Federal High Court consent judgment delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole which recognised the Nigeria Labour Congress as the owner of the LP and mandated that an all-inclusive and expansive national convention of the LP be held.
“The decision of the BoT is also in furtherance of the agreement signed between the former national chairman of the LP, Mr. Julius Abure, and the NLC and the Trade Union Congress on 27th June, 2022, which was mediated by the Independent National Electoral Commission.”
But reacting, the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, said the BoT was an unknown entity to the Labour Party.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Ifoh said, “Ever since Ejiofor stepped down as the first national chairman of the Labour Party over two decades ago, he has neither attended any meeting or played any noticeable role as a member of the party.
“He is not even known in his ward and has not paid a single dime as membership due which qualifies him as a member. It is surprising that after he was ‘visited’ by some leaders of NLC, he suddenly woke up from his slumber.
“The point here is that the Labour Party is not aware of the existence of any Board of Trustees. Recall that NLC has continued to propose for the reconstitution of the BoT as well as the convocation of the national convention.
“Over 90 per cent of persons being suggested to form membership of the proposed BoT have since left the party to join other political parties, some even contested various political positions on the platform of other political parties while some others featured prominently in the presidential campaigns of the other political parties even when Labour Party equally featured a candidate in the 2023 general election.
“This is what desperation in the ranks of the NLC can cause. Why not let the man enjoy his retirement? Why drag him into your mess? Let Ejiofor show evidence of one meeting he convened in the last one decade of his so-called BoT. Enough of all these political muscles flexing, Julius Abure has just been elected by the convention for the first time as the national chairman of the Labour Party. We urge our detractors to please sheathe the sword and join us to salvage the nation.”
