Labour Party Crisis: Peter Obi’s Key Ally Reacts as Abure Rejects New Caretaker Committee

• Yunusa Tanko, a key member of the Labour Party, has said only INEC can determine the legality of the recent intervention by Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti in the party
• Legit.ng reports that the intervention led to the formation of a 29-member caretaker committee, headed by a former minister
• Tanko emphasised that the contended legality of this intervention is a matter for INEC to decide, as they are the official electoral authority

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering politics and elections in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja - Tanko Yunusa, the interim coordinator of the Obidient movement, on Monday, September 9, said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the only body that can decide whether the recent intervention in the party by Peter Obi and Alex Otti is legal.

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Obi, a former governor of Anambra state, was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election. Otti is the incumbent governor of Abia state.

It would be recalled that Barrister Julius Abure, the LP national chairman, was conspicuously absent at the enlarged stakeholders’ meeting held recently in Umuahia, Abia state.

Otti had called for the meeting to resolve the lingering leadership crisis in the party.

The intervention of Messrs Otti and Obi saw the composition of a 29-man caretaker committee to lead the party in the interim. Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, a former finance minister, emerged as the chairperson of the caretaker committee.

Subsequently, Abure rejected the move by Obi and Otti.

Responding to a question regarding the legality of the intervention during an interview on Channels TV monitored by Legit.ng, Tanko said that can only be decided by INEC.

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The LP chieftain said:

“It is left for INEC to look at the legality and make a pronouncement.

"So, I have nothing to do with that at the moment because they are the electoral umpire. They know what the law says, it is better for them to make the pronouncement."

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Labour Party suspends Abure

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Abure was suspended over alleged anti-party activities.

Abure's suspension, according to two letters, was ratified at a meeting of the state executive committee in Benin, Edo state.

Source: Legit.ng