Abia LP in crisis over alleged party constitution violation, as executives suffer neglect
By Charles Ohuabunwa, Vera Ochiagha
All seems not to be going on well with the leadership of the Labour Party in Abia State as Party Chieftains have cried out over a perceived interference in the constitutions of the party and adverse neglect of the Executives of the party from the state down to the Ward level by the Gov Otti led administration .
This is even as virtually every executive of the party including women leaders, youth and Ward Chairmen Obingwa in Umunneochi, Umuahia to Ohafia and Bende LGA, etc, insistently expressed displeasure at the level of neglect suffered in a party.
They bemoaned their sorry situation, claiming that they suffered to build the party from the scratch prior to the Obedient wave which according to them, created a surge in the party, “and gave victory to those enjoying the largesse of political offices today but choose to neglect those that held the table they stood upon to campaign.”
Penultimate last week the Umunneochi chapter of the party had published a disclaimer in what it considered usurpation of the constituted authority of the party by Hon Amobi Oga and others whom it was alleged had called for a stakeholders meeting to decide on the forthcoming LG elections without regard to the constitutional role of the leadership of the party in such matters
Speaking to a senior officer of the party (Names withheld) who complained bitterly at such level of disregard and humiliation the Executive of the party had suffered under the Gov Otti led administration, narrating her experiences, she said:
“Will it not be amazing to tell you that this is almost the second year of this administration and now warning up to the LG elections, no elected member of the party, perhaps apart from Hon. Ginger Onwusibe if I will be fair to him, has ever brought in a penny to support the leadership of this party yet we claimed we are the ruling party,
The governor has done well to select and appoint men and women he described as technocrats, is he trying to imply that none of the entire members of the executive of the party is knowledgeable or experienced to join him in the business of development of their region or holding responsibility to any reputable Office, for crying out loud, whoever is enjoying any political positions in the state today is there because of Labour Party victory in Abia State.
“it could have been any other Party but for the fact that we sustained this party before anyone dare begin to think of contesting any positions we gave them the platform so I do not understand this wanton neglect and ridicule then someone is telling me there will be Congress next year and the governor is planning to bring his own men, then what happened to us that built this party and upheld it with our last penny before all these men and women came in…if I tell you I am happy, I will be deceiving myself.”
In another episode in Bende LGA, former Ward Chairman of the party in Item led virtually all members of the party to APC in a matter he described as unacceptable treatment from those at the top whom he claimed started showing them the backhand immediately they were sworn into office, however another Chieftain of the party Chief Frank Iheanyi Chinasa, LP candidate in the 2023 Elections to Federal House of Representatives had gone to the radio to refute that claim
As the LG elections draws closer, fears of possible backlash by growing disgruntled members of the party had become palpable, as the Acting State Chairman Hon Emma Otti makes frantic efforts to keep the leadership of the party together, repeated calls put to his phone line was arbitrarily declined.
In a telephone conversation with the State Publicity Secretary of the party Mr. Njoku Jerry A, he declined comment on the true position of situations at the State Executive level, However, when pressed further, he responded;
” We are doing our best to carry everyone along in the party, at a time like this, it is common to read all sort of stories in the public domain but I can assure you the party remains strong and steadfast, this is our first time in office, you do not expect us to get everything right but rest assured we will not leave anyone behind.” Said Mr Njoku
We probe further by asking the State Publicity Secretary to confirm evidence of neglect of the State Executive of the party as being rumoured, He declined to comment further and cut off the phone.
As the LG elections draws closer, it calls for another opportunity for Labour Party in Abia to prove its popularity and power of incumbency as other major political party are certain to cash in on the loopholes the leadership of the party may be creating for itself if the ugly situation is not reversed where it existed and the role of the party and it’s leadership duly entrenched.
