***Expresses confidence in the Victory of LP at the Edo Polls
The senator representing Edo South Neda Imasuen has justified the recent action of the Labour Party(LP) stakeholders in the appointment of a caretaker committee of 29 members with Nenadi Usman as the chairperson.
He said the stakeholders’ meeting, which was called by party leaders including Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti was with the intention to reconcile party factions and restore the party’s direction ahead of key electoral milestones.
Speaking to our correspondent via a telephone interview on sunday, he said, the meeting, held in Umuahia, Abia capital, aimed to address internal disputes without casting blame and to set the party on a unified path forward.
Imasuen noted that the party had faced challenges regarding the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s recognition of its leadership.
He specifically referenced Julius Abure’s recent unsuccessful attempts to attend INEC meetings and participate in discussions on the upcoming Edo and Ondo elections, scheduled for September 2024.
This, according to Imasuen, revealed a leadership vacuum within the Labour Party that needes to be addressed urgently.
To move forward, Imasuen emphasized the need for a caretaker committee to manage the party’s affairs until a formal congress can be held.
He reported that the stakeholders’ meeting was successful, with most key figures attending and agreeing on decisions to advance the party. Despite this progress, the faction led by Abure did not participate, choosing instead to raise grievances in public forums, which Imasuen suggested was not the appropriate way to address party matters.
In response to criticisms from Abure’s camp, which questioned the membership of Nenadi Usman within the party, Imasuen dismissed the claims and reiterated that Usman remains a member. He urged all factions to come together for the good of the party.
In his words,
“The stakeholder meeting was called by the leaders of the party, headed by his excellency, Peter Gregory Obi, and our governor, Alex Otti and the meeting was held in Umuahia, Abia capital.
“The essence of the meeting was to bring the party back on course, pure and simple. It wasn’t a meeting that was to castigate or to assign blame to anybody.
“It was a meeting of reconciliation, a meeting to move forward from where we are, because as it is, we are not in the right path, at least as INEC activities, and INEC calendar, and INEC recognition of the executives of Labour Party is concerned.
“And I’m sure that you are aware, that recently on two occasions, that Abure, first of all, attempted to attend the meeting called for the chairman of parties, and he was not recognized, and he was asked to excuse them.
“On the second occasion that INEC called the chairmen to appriase them of the preparation for the Edo and Ondo States election coming September 21, 2024, LP was not even invited at all. So we have come to recognize this vacuum, and we need to fill it.
“The only way we can fill it is for us to come together and look for a way forward, so that we can have a committee to pilot the affairs of the party until we are able to do Congress. “That is the whole essence of the meeting, and I am happy to announce to you that it was very successful. All the stakeholders were invited, and they came, except for a few, who for whatever reason couldn’t make it.
“But we agreed on a far-reaching decision to move the party forward, and that we all have agreed to do.
“I don’t know exactly what it is that they are looking for, but we have said that everybody should come on board. Abure and his group were also invited to come on board. And if they mean well for the party, they would have at least come and then table their grievances and let us all address it.”
Looking ahead to the Edo election in in September, Imasuen expressed confidence in the Labour Party’s chances of victory, citing the widespread dissatisfaction and hardship faced by Nigerians under the current government. He emphasized the need for a fair, free, and credible election, free from violence or manipulation by major parties.
Imasuen concluded by stating that the Labour Party is ready to win the upcoming election, driven by the discontent of the people and the promise of change that the party offers.