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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party has faulted the suspension of the party’s national chairman, Julius Abure, saying the party’s chapter in Edo State has no locus standi to take such action without recourse to its constitution.
The embattled national chairman, who is still battling with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over there control of the party, was suspended by his Ward in Arue, Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State for alleged high-handedness and anti-party activities.
According to the suspension letter dated May 14, 2024, and another letter of ratification dated May 15, 2024, which were ratified at a meeting of the state executive committee in Benin City on Friday, Abure’s suspension was with immediate effect.
The state chapter of the party thereafter advised Abure to stop holding out or parading himself as a member of the party.
The executive committee of the party in the state led by Kelly Ogbaloi also reportedly endorsed the decisions of the ward and local government executive of the party on Friday.
But reacting to the development in a terse statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, described Abure’s purported suspension as “illegal and unconstitutional.”