The tussle between the national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure and Lamidi Apapa group over the soul of the LP rages as the Labour Party Integrity Council, (LPIC) yesterday gave the Edo State chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi, seven days ultimatum to handover all instruments of office to acting state chairman, Ehiwe Ikuoyemwen.
The LPIC said the request to handover all instruments of office in the possession of Ogbaloi was contained in a letter dated 5th January , 2024, following the expiration of maximum constitutional two tenure of six years from 2013 to 2019.
But Ogbaloi when contacted insisted that he remains the authentic Edo State Labour Party chairman and will continue to operate until a competent body of the LP, the NWC and the Congress of the party call a congress adding that the group is seeking to reap where it did not sow. He added that the members of the group making the call are on suspension.
The group also described as “unconstitutional the 3rd term of Ogbaloi from 2019 to 2022 and 4th unconstitutional term from 2022 till date as Edo State Chairman of Labour Party.”
The group in a statement signed by Hon Ehiwe Ikuoyenwen, Comrade Jegede Idemudia and Hon Aminu Abdullahi and copied the Inspector General of Police, Edo State Commissioner of Police and the LP presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi among others and asked Ogbaloi to henceforth desist from undertaking any official function of any kind.
“Tender all administrative documents, hard copy and electronic, inventory of assets to date, account of all funds, revenues and assets received in the name of, on behalf of the Labour Party.
“In view of your exhaustive and effusion of your maximum constitutional tenure aforestated desist from undertaking any function, public/media statement, activity of any kind on behalf of the Labour Party at any level,” the statement reads in part.
