Victor Umeh, the senator representing the Anambra Central Senatorial District, has asserted that the Labour Party (LP) is currently devoid of any leadership structure.
He made this statement during an appearance in an interview, where he addressed inquiries related to the ongoing crisis within the party.
As a prominent member of the LP, Umeh’s remarks come in the wake of recent efforts by the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, along with other key figures, including Abia State Governor Alex Otti, who are working to rejuvenate the political organization.
In a decisive move to resolve the turmoil following the contentious national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State, under the leadership of Julius Abure’s National Working Committee (NWC), Obi, the sole Labour Party Governor, convened an expanded National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Umuahia. This gathering aimed to chart a new course for the party.
After extensive discussions on the party’s future, Senator Nenadi Usman, a former Finance Minister, was appointed to lead an interim National Working Committee (NWC) with a mandate of 90 days to organize congresses at all levels, culminating in a national convention to elect new party officials.
However, Callistus Uju Okafor, a factional acting Chairman of the party, has dismissed Usman’s appointment, labeling the stakeholders’ meeting as illegal and unconstitutional.
In a statement released in Abuja, Okafor referred to the session that resulted in Usman’s nomination as the interim national chairman as null and void.
Similarly, Abure’s faction has also rejected the legitimacy of the meeting, claiming it is unlawful.
Addressing the situation, Senator Umeh emphasized the absence of legitimate leadership within the party, urging members to take initiative in re-establishing control.
“Those questioning the leadership crisis fail to realize that without a legitimate executive committee, the discourse around constitutional adherence becomes irrelevant. Currently, we lack an authentic executive committee,” he stated.
He pointed out that individuals claiming authority have not disclosed that their tenure has lapsed, leading to a leadership vacuum within the party.
“There must be a legitimate chairman in place before we can address constitutional violations. Those raising concerns do not grasp that they are no longer in power, and nature abhors a vacuum,” he remarked.
Defending the meeting held in Abia, Umeh asserted that party members have the right to convene and establish new leadership when no formal leadership exists.
