The crisis rocking the Labour party (LP)’s leadership structure took a dramatic turn this week as different groups clashed at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.
The origin of the latest squabble was when members, allegedly of the Edo state chapter of the party, gathered at the headquarters to demand that the national working committee (NWC) ratify the decision of the state chapter suspending Julius Abure from the party, thereby voiding him as the national chairman of the party.
However, a group which appeared to be pro-Abure countered the protesters, nearly clashing with the Edo group of protesters but for security intervention that prevented the situation from further degenerating.
Though the groups met some resistance, they pull down the barriers but no national official on the ground to receive them.
The anti-Abure group then moved to The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deliver a letter from the Edo State Executive Council, pushing for action on the party leadership.
Recall that last week, the ward executive of Ward 3, Arue, Utomi, in the Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State had suspended Abure but the Labour Party’s national leadership said the executives in Edo State lacked the power to carry out such action.
The national leadership of the party maintained that the suspension of Abure as illegal, unconstitutional and that it contravened the party’s constitution.
