The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Comrade Julius Abure, has rejected the appointment of former Finance Minister Nanedi Usman as interim “Chairlady” for a 90-day term to oversee party affairs.
This appointment was announced following an extended stakeholders’ meeting led by the party’s sole governor, Alex Otti of Abia State, and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Abure, through the National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, condemned the appointment as illegal and unconstitutional, arguing that it undermines the outcomes of the national convention held in Nnewi earlier this year. His comments came in response to a statement from Obi’s spokesman, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, which announced Usman’s new role.
Yunusa had in his statement said, “The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, and other critical stakeholders led by Governor Alex Otti of Abia State on Wednesday took a bold step toward recreating their political platform, the Labour Party.
“In a move aimed at ending the crisis in the party since the controversial National Convention held in a hotel room in Nnewi, Anambra State, by the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee, NWC, the sole Labour Party Governor of Abia State and the national leader of the party, Obi, decided to take the bull by the horns by summoning an enlarged National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party in Umuahia, where a far-reaching decision was made to give direction to the party.
“After exhaustive deliberations on how to move the party forward, former Minister of Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman, was nominated to head an interim National Working Committee, NWC, with a 90-day mandate to organize congresses at all levels of the party, including a National Convention to elect substantive officers of the party.
“Senator Usman will be assisted in the 29-member transition committee by former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, who will act as Secretary.
“The well-attended meeting also had the presidential running mate to Obi, Dr Datti Baba-Ahmad, Deputy Governor of Abia State, and all elected Legislators under Labour at the National and state levels, as well as gubernatorial candidates of the party in the 2023 polls.
“In her acceptance speech, Senator Nenadi promised to work with her team for the unity and growth of the party.
“The Peter Obi Media Office, POMR, has been besieged by Labour Party adherents across the country, calling and commending the move as long as expected.
“They also noted that this bold political move was coming 48 hours after a National Coordinator was appointed for the Obidient Movement, a critical component of the Labour Party pushing for the presidential ambition of their leader, Peter Obi.”