Rising from its National Executive Council meeting held in Bauchi on Wednesday, the Labour Party (LP) distanced itself from the call for an interim government, describing such a call as a treasonable act and charged security agencies to treat any of its members found engaging in such act as enemies of democracy.
The call was contained in the communique issued after the NEC meeting held at the Sulgad Hotel, Bauchi, read to journalists by the Publicity Secretary, Arabambi Abayomi, and signed by the party’s acting National Chairman and acting National Secretary, Bashiru Apampa and Saleh Lawal, respectively.
The communique further stated that the meeting 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 what it termed, the illegal NEC meeting convened by the suspended national chairman of the party, Julius Abure.
According to the communique by Arabambi: “That the NEC in session believes in the rule of law and shall continue to stand with our presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, to see to the successful reclaiming of our stolen mandate at the presidential election petition tribunal while noting that we will not be a party to any unlawful act to cause a change of democratic administration violently as anticipated by Barr. Julius Abure and his cohorts.
“That NEC in session distanced itself from any illegal call for an interim President and interim government of any kind and in any form and 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.
“NEC in session, therefore, 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.
“That the NEC pardoned and forgave the 2023 presidential candidate of Labour party, Mr Peter Obi; Vice Presidential candidate, Senator Yusuf Datti; Mr. Alex Otti, governor-elect of Abia State; all the senators, members of the House of Representatives and state Assembly members elected on the Labour Party platform for attending the illegal NEC meeting of 18th April, 2023 in Asaba, Delta State organized by the restrained Barr. Julius Abure in contempt of the FCT High Court restraining order of 5th April, 2023 that restrained Barr Julius Abure and others from parading themselves as national officers of the Labour party (LP).”
It added that while the NEC in session suspended five of its National Working Committee (NWC) members over contempt of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) restraining by participating in the illegal NEC meeting convened by Abure in Asaba, it further recommended the affected members 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 NWC listed for suspension 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.