By Myke Agunwa
In a countermove, the faction of Labour Party (LP) led by the embattled Barr. Julius Abure has suspended the Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti, Senator Representing the Federal Capital Territory Sen. Ireti Kingibe, Secretary of National Caretaker Committee (NCC) Sen. Darlington Nwokocha, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, Hon. Amobi Ogah and Hon. Seyi Sowunmi from the party and all its activities, indefinitely and with immediate effect.
This comes few hours after the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the party led by Sen. Sen Nenadi Usman constituted a five-man disciplinary committee led by Sen. Ireti Kingibe to sanction Abure.
The Abure faction had last Friday, set up a five-man Disciplinary Committee headed by the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the National Secretary and three others to investigate Otti and other party members over allegations of anti-party activities.
In a statement issued by the National Secretary Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the party stated that the Disciplinary Committee concluded their assignment and has submitted their report to the party’s leadership and after exhaustive deliberation by National Executive on Wednesday, ratified the recommendation as submitted by the Disciplinary Committee that the above named be suspended indefinitely.’
“By this suspension, these former members of the party will no longer act for and on behalf of the party. All concerned institutions including the Nigeria Governors Forum, the National Assembly, INEC and security agencies among others are to take note”.
The party added that the name of Nenadi Usman was conspicuously omitted from the list of the suspended members of the party because “Nenadi Usman was and is not a member of the Labour Party being not a card carrying member of the Party. We are aware that she is a member of the Obidient Support group that worked and is still working for the party’s 2023 presidential candidate. We will therefore not honour her with any sanction being not a member of the party.
“Again, we are aware that Ms Usman recently in a well televised occasion, in cohort with a former Kaduna state governor joined another political party where she pledged loyalty to the party. We are clearly confused where Usman Nenadi’s loyalty lies”.
The party’s leadership said that it is also surprised that Usman is talking about corruption when indeed she is the head mistress of corruption.
“Nigerians are already aware of all the EFCC cases against her and we expect Ms Usman to come out and explain to Nigerians the story behind her Plea Bargain with EFCC and all the properties she allegedly forfeited. She should also tell Nigerians how she acquired her radio station in Kaduna, all her properties all over Nigeria and abroad, her companies in Cameroon, including her plantations. Nenadi Usman lacks the moral capacity to commence any probe or even talk about corruption” it said.
The party reiterated that it is not interested in any coalition or overtures by any group or persons to go into any coalition or merger. The party said that “those driving the agenda lack the capacity, the character and competence to midwife such a political arrangement. These are people who have failed to manage one political party, how can they manage an amalgam of political parties and their varied interests”.