The Labour Party (LP) has distanced itself from the call for an interim government, describing such a call as a treasonable act. The party charged security agencies to treat any of its members found engaging in such an act as enemies of democracy. The decision was made at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Bauchi on Wednesday.
The meeting, which was held at the Sulgad Hotel, Bauchi, forgave the party’s presidential candidate in the February 25 election, Peter Obi, his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Abia State governor-elect, Alex Otti, and all the party’s national and state Assemblies members-elect for attending the illegal NEC meeting convened by the suspended national chairman of the party, Julius Abure.
The NEC meeting stated that it believes in the rule of law and shall continue to stand with Peter Obi to see to the successful reclaiming of the party’s stolen mandate at the presidential election petition tribunal. However, the NEC distanced itself from any illegal call for an interim President and interim government of any kind and in any form. It calls on security agencies to treat any member of the Labour Party found to engage in this treasonable act as an enemy of democracy and as the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria demands.
The NEC appealed to the judiciary to, at all times, be in the part of the people by promoting acts that enhance democracy, rule of law, fundamental human rights and freedom of expression and speech by upholding the doctrine of separation of powers.
The meeting also suspended five of its National Working Committee (NWC) members over contempt of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) restraining them from participating in the illegal NEC meeting convened by Abure in Asaba.
The affected members were recommended to disciplinary committees to try them for fraudulent and anti-party activities over the illegal, null, and voided gubernatorial primaries in Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi states conducted on 15th April, 2023, as directed by Abure and suspended national secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim. The suspended NWC members include Prince Kennedy Ahanotu, Comrade Mrs Ladi Illiya, Dr Ayo Olorunfemi, Chief Innocent Okeke Agumba, and Mrs Dudu Manuga.
The NEC meeting reassured Nigerians that when LP takes over the country’s leadership after the presidential election petition tribunal mandate recovery, it would change the ugly narratives Nigerians face to the best ones.