The Labour Party has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor Alex Otti to withdraw their notice of a National Executive Council meeting, citing a violation of the party’s constitution.
The party’s National Working Committee, led by Chairman Julius Abure and Secretary Farouk Umar Ibrahim, denounced the move as unconstitutional and impersonation, calling for a police investigation into Obi and Otti’s actions.
The Labour Party emphasized that only the National Chairman and National Secretary have the authority to convene NEC meetings and oversee party operations, and demanded that Obi and Otti cancel the unauthorized meeting within 72 hours or face a formal petition with the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services for fraud, impersonation, and actions likely to disturb public peace, according to Ripples Nigeria.
“The attention of leadership of Labour Party National Working Committee under the National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure and National Secretary Alh Farouk Umar Ibrahim has been drawn to a purported unconstitutional, illegal clandestine Labour Party extended stakeholders /National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of Labour Party convene and signed by Mr Peter Obi as National Chairman and Governor Alex Oti as National Secretary,” the statement read.
“Labour Party is therefore calling on the Inspector General of Police to launch a massive investigation against the duo of Mr Peter Obi and Gov Alex Oti for their unconstitutional involvement in the impersonation of the office of Labour Party National Chairman and National Secretary, despite their long political standings and education,” the statement continued.
“Labour Party hereby as a matter of urgency urges the duo of Mr Peter Obi and Gov Alex Oti to always get themselves acquainted with the Constitution of our party before taking decisions that is not only ultra vires, irresponsible, unconstitutional but absolutely unpardonable and a national disgrace,” the statement added.