A fresh crisis is brewing in the Labour Party (LP) as a Former Deputy National Chairman, Callistus Okafor, has laid claim to the National Chairmanship position.
In a news conference in Abuja, on Friday he said that his decision to “take over” the party was backed by a 2018 consent judgment of the federal high court which according to him was ignored.
He noted that at the time, there was a leadership tussle between the late national chairman of the party, Abdulkadir Salam, and another faction led by Salisu Mohammed, who equally declared himself as national caretaker chair of the party.
In the consent verdict, Gabriel Kolawole, the judge handling the dispute, held that the separate national conventions held by both parties to the dispute were “inclusive”.
Okafor argued that because this court ruling was not obeyed, Julius Abure inherited and built on this faulty structure to become national chairman.
The former deputy chairman said as things stand today, he as a member of the then National Working Committee as well as others along with him are beneficiaries of the 2018 judgement.
He said, “The owner of the house has taken the house. When I mean owner, I am not contesting Labour Party leadership with NLC, no.”
“I’m talking about the process. The midwifing of this process (fresh convention).
“The 2014 convention is the right avenue to midwife it. For that reason Callistus Okafor is now the acting chairman of Labour Party.
“Sequel to the above development, members of the 2014 National Working Committee who are beneficiaries of the consent judgment have agreed to midwife an all-inclusive and expansive convention in compliance with the Consent Judgment delivered by Hon Justice G.O. Kolawole, and further agree to within six months embark on a purposeful reconciliation of all aggrieved members and groups to achieve a united, focused Labour Party that will redefine political leadership in Nigeria’s quest for a better nation.”
Okafor further argued that his intervention is “a pivotal resolution of the long drawn legal battle for the soul of the Labour Party.
When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, dismissed Okafor’s claims.
He said, “We don’t need to look any further than those who have sworn to destroy our party in their calculations for 2027.
“Barrister Julious Abure is the legitimate National Chairman of our great party. There are several Court judgements that support this position. We will not reduce ourselves to relying those who have been hired to distract us.”
