Lagos LP Crisis Deepens As Party Disowns Factional EXCO

The State Executive Committee of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State has disowned a factional EXCO led by Olumide Adesoyin, calling him “a joker”.

Adesoyin had on Friday announced a new State Executive Committee, disowning the Dayo Ekong-led EXCO.

Ekong-led EXCO was appointed into office by Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the party. Adesoyin said the Ekong-led EXCO has lost its legality following the sacking of the Abure-led National Working Committee.

But speaking with THE WHISTLER on Tuesday, the state Secretary of the party, Sam Emeka Okpala, said LP in Lagos does not have factional leadership, adding that the party does not recognize Adesoyin’s EXCO.

“There’s nothing like Olumide’s Executive Committee. We don’t know anything about that. We don’t have faction in Labour Party. So anybody parading himself as whatever is doing so at his own risk. We don’t recognize anybody; there’s no emergence of any EXCO Committee by anybody. The only leadership of Labour Party in Lagos State is that led by Dayo Ekong, of which I’m the Secretary,” he said.

“INEC is the only body statutorily constituted to regulate the activities of political parties in Nigeria. And it’s only them that would confirm who the leadership of the party is; nationally and at state level. So anybody parading himself as anything is just a mere joker.”

Responding to questions on possible negative impact the crisis in the party may have on the yet to be scheduled Surulere 1 Federal Constituency bye-election to replace the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila who resigned from the House in June to resume duty as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, the LP state Secretary told THE WHISTLER that it is only the authentic leadership of the party in the state, which is the Ekong-led EXCO that would submit name of the party’s candidate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to him, anybody that decides to play to the gallery is doing so at his own risk.

“Candidate name must be submitted to INEC and INEC is bound to accept candidate from the authentic leadership of the party,” Okpala said.

“If anybody decides to play to the gallery, that is at that person’s risk.”

Also reacting in a statement, Ekong asked the general public to disregard Adesoyin’s claim because neither the party’s constitution nor INEC recognises them.

“The properly constituted Lagos LP exco is still in force, and all party activities are still being carried out from the party secretariat situated at No. 59, Oduduwa Way, GRA, Ikeja.

“Nigerians should know that there is no faction in the Labour Party, either at the national or state level.

“There is only one legally constitutional and recognised national chairman and secretary of the party in the persons of Mr Julius Abure and Alhaji Umar Farouk, respectively,” she was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the state Publicity Secretary, Olubunmi Odesanya.

LP has been thrown into leadership crisis following an interim order issued by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in April, restraining Abure from parading himself as the National Chairman of the party pending the determination of the substantive suit brought against him and three others.

Justice Hamza Muazu gave the order while delivering ruling in an exparte application brought by some aggrieved members of the party.

Subsequently, Lamidi Apapa (then National Vice Chairman) on April 6, declared himself as the National Chairman of the party.