.As National Office Denies Presidential Campaign Council
The relative peace that exists within the Labour Party in Imo State is about to be shattered as trouble arrives in the party just before it goes through serious test with Nigerians.
A letter from the National Office of the party, signed by the National Organizing Secretary, Chief Cliement Ojukwu has declared that the party is yet to set up Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council in Imo State.
The letter came in response to stories making the rounds in Imo State, that Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council has been inaugurated in Imo State by Prof Pat Utomi, with Dr Fabian Ihekweme as the Chairman.
It would be recalled that the news of Ihekweme’s Council and its member’s inauguration dominated the news around Imo State, with pictures backing up the celebrated ceremony in Owerri, Imo State capital.
However, the letter from the National Office of the party has put a lie to the purported inauguration of the “Presidential Council”, saying that “Our attention has been drawn to news intercepted through news medium that one Dr Fabian Ihekweme has been appointed as Imo Labour Party Presidential Council Chairman”.
The party made it clear that Labour Party has not made such appointment “or inaugurated any Presidential Campaign Council both at National or otherwise”.
The party warned all members to desist from acts that will cause crisis in the party, and said all actions of the party must follow due process.
The party quoted Article 14 sub section 1(a) of its constitution which said that “the National Chairman shall give Leadership to the party and shall preside over all meetings of the National Executive Council and National Working Committee of the party”.
The party warned against usurping the power of the National Chairman, or any of the NWC members, adding that “power of all appointments and Leadership only to the office of National Chairman through the National Organizing Secretary”.
The party agreed that Prof Pat Utomi is a respected member and Leader of Labour Party, but has no power to inaugurate any Campaign Council.
However, sources have it that Prof Utomi was in Imo State on a private business, but was cornered by some elements in Imo State who claimed to be Labour Party enthusiasts and Financiers, and asked that he appoint them members of the party’s Presidential Council which he obliged.
Mr Peter Obi is the Presidential candidate of Labour, which has energized the party, usually obscure during elections in Imo State before now.
“The Labour Party will soon go through the ups and downs that the other older parties have gone through and survived. We shall see how that of Labour Party will pan out”, Chief Denis Adikwuru, a top PDP member in Imo State intoned.
