Edo LP Crisis Deepens As Faction Suspends Caretaker Chair

The crisis rocking the Edo State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has taken another dimension with the suspension of caretaker committee chairman Elizabeth Ativie over alleged gross misconduct and insubordination.

The decision was taken on Saturday evening at an enlarged meeting of the State Working Committee (SWC), which local government chairmen and secretaries of the party attended.

The development came less than one week after she was sworn in as caretaker chairman of LP in the state by the national leadership of the party and the dissolution of the state exco led by Kelly Ogbaloi.

At the meeting, Aghedo Okhiongbamwonyi, chairman of the LP in Ativie’s Uhunmwonde local government area, said Ward 4’s leadership had suspended her.

He presented a letter dated May 4, 2024, conveying Ativie’s suspension to the LP leadership in the local government. The letter was endorsed by Charles Usiesefe and Mike Ighile, the ward chairman and secretary, respectively.

In the letter, the party leadership cautioned her against holding out or parading herself as an LP member.

Also, a letter dated May 30, affirming the local government’s suspension of her, was tendered before the enlarged meeting of the SWC.

Responding, Ativie said she remained the party’s authentic state chairman and was unaware of any meeting suspending her.

She said, “They should know that by the constitution of the Labour Party, no ward or local government chairman has the authority to suspend anybody or the chairman.”

“It is dead on arrival. I am the current Labour Party chairman in Edo state,” she added.