Yesterday, the leadership crisis of the Labour Party (LP) escalated to new heights.
Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) suspended LP’s only governor, Alex Otti (Abia State), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senator Ireti Kingibe, Senator Darlington Nwokocha (Abia Central) and three House of Representatives members.
Also suspended indefinitely are, Afam Ogene (Ogbaru, Anambra), leaders of the LP caucus, Amobi Ogah (Isuikwato/Umuneochi Constituency, and Seyi Sowunmi (Ojo Constituency).
Otti, on his hand, dismissed the suspension as a ruse. He described Abure as a clown looking for a crown.
Their suspension, according to the National Secretary of the Abure faction, Alhaji Umar Farouk, followed the recommendations of the five-man disciplinary committee set up by the National Executive Committee (NEC) headed by the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi, to investigate allegations of indiscipline against them.
But the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) headed by Senator Esther Nenadi-Usman, which rejected the suspension, unfolded plans to probe Abure and his factional NWC.
It is a new twist to the protracted crisis that had led to the litigation that also took tolls on the platform. Although the Supreme Court ruled that the party should resolve the crisis because it is a party affair, the two factions have failed to close ranks.
Otti and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, belong to the Nenadi-Usman camp.
Last month, Lamidi Apapa, who is the Deputy National Chairman (South), challenged both Abure and Nenadi-Usman to a duel, claiming that he is the authentic acting chairman.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is also laying claim to the leadership of the party. NLC President Joe Ajaero said last week that the NEC meeting of the NLC will ratify the series of actions the Labour centre will take to retain the party, which it registered.
However, Farouk said in a statement that the NWC did not suspend Nenadi-Usman because she is not an LP member, but a member of the Obidient movement.
