Fresh trouble in LP as Edo executives suspend Abure for anti-party activities

A fresh crisis has broken out in the Labour Party as National Chairman, Julius Abure, has been suspended from the party in Ward 3, Arue-Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government of Edo State.

The state executives said Abure was suspended because of alleged high-handedness and involvement in anti-party activities.

His suspension was contained in a letter dated May 14, 2024, and signed by the Ward Chairman, Thompson Ehiguese, and Ward Secretary, Stanley Usiomoh.

At a meeting of the state executive committee in Benin on the night of Friday, May 24, 2024, the above-mentioned letter and a separate letter of ratification dated May 15, 2024, were ratified by the executives.

They also instructed Abure to desist from holding out or parading himself as a member of the Labour Party.

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The ratification letter was subsequently forwarded to the State Executive Committee of the party through the State Chairman by the Local Government Chairman of the party in Esan North-East, Patrick Onogbeni, and LG Secretary, Ehikioya Eromosele.

“Here forwarded to you and for your consideration is the ratification of the suspension of Julius Abure from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Ean North East LGA, Edo State.

“The LGA Executive met on 15th of May, 2024, about noon, to consider the matters presented on the suspension and accordingly found them weighty and the suspension ratified and upheld,” read the letter.

Edo Labour Party executives endorse Abure's suspension

Meanwhile, the Kelly Ogbaloi-led state executive committee endorsed the decisions of the ward and local government committee of the party at the Friday meeting.

After considering the letters, together with the issues contained therein, the committee ratified the National Chairman's suspension with immediate effect.

This would seem like a familiar territory for Abure who has remained embattled since the conclusion of the 2023 general elections.

Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) recently sacked National Working Committee of the Labour Party after a controversial national convention that returned Abure as the National Chairman.

The NLC also approved the constitution of a Transition Committee under the leadership of the NLC Political Commission to manage the affairs of the party in the interim.