1 week Ago By Richard Ogunsile
A prominent figure in the Labour Party, Yunusa Tanko, has stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) holds the exclusive authority to determine the legality of the recent involvement of Peter Obi and the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, in the party’s affairs. Naija News reports that the intervention led to the establishment of a 29-member caretaker committee tasked with temporarily guiding the party. A former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman , will chair the committee.
Speaking on the development while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Tanko emphasized that the question of legality rests solely with the INEC. He said: “It is left for INEC to look at the legality and make pronouncement. So, I have nothing to do with that at the moment because they are the electoral umpire.
“They know what the law says, it is better for them to make the pronouncement.” Naija News recalls that Senator Darlington Nwokocha, a former Deputy Minority Leader in the Senate, was appointed as the Secretary of the committee established by party leaders during the meeting convened by Otti. This committee is mandated to oversee the election of new leadership within a 90-day timeframe.
The committee also includes representatives from various interest groups, such as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Senate, House of Representatives, House of Assembly, and gubernatorial candidates from the recent election. In contrast, the party’s leadership under Julius Abure has dismissed the committee, asserting that the meeting called by Otti was unlawful and urging Nigerians to disregard its outcomes. A statement issued by the party’s publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, clarified that the party did not sanction the meeting and does not represent its views or interests.
Furthermore, the Abure faction expressed astonishment that the individual designated as the chairperson of the caretaker committee is not a registered party member, noting that she emerged during the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign to support Obi’s candidacy..
