The Labour Party (LP) disputed on Wednesday the existence of a Board of Trustees (BoT) led by Comrade SOZ Ejiofor.
The LP, in a statement by National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said Ejiofor, who it said left the party about a decade ago, was briefed and drafted into the struggle by the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, to takeover the party’s leadership.
The party said since Ejiofor stepped down as the first National chairman of the LP over two decades ago, he has not attended any meeting, or played any noticeable role as a member of the party.
The statement said Ejiofor is not even known in his ward and has not paid a single dime as membership dues which qualifies him as a member.
The party re-empahsized the conduct of the just-concluded National Convention that saw the reemergence of Julius Abure as National Chairman.
The statement reads: “The Labour Party, LP, on Wednesday successfully conducted its national convention in Nnewi Anambra state and Barrister Julius Abure was elected unanimously and overwhelmingly by over 350 delegates that were in attendance.
“The attendant list includes the Governor of Abia state, Dr. Alex Otti who was represented by his deputy Ikechukwu Emetu, the Deputy Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon George Ozodinobi who led over 10 members of the National Assembly, the entire members of the Abia state House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, the Deputy Minority Leader of Imo state House of Assembly, Hon. Clinton Amadi led other of his colleagues in the Imo state House of Assembly, other members of state assembly from Enugu, the entire commissioners and top government officials from Abia state amongst others.
“Despite this huge success, It came to the leadership of the party as a huge surprise of a statement trending in the social media purportedly from one Comrade SOZ Ejiofor on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the party claiming that he has taken over the leadership of the party.
“Amusing as that will sound, but with the greatest respect to the former leader of the party, we sympathise with the Comrade who has since left the political scene more than a decade ago only to be energized, briefed and drafted into this unnecessary tussle by the disgruntled elements in the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC.
“First, ever since Ejiofor stepped down as the first National chairman of the Labour Party over two decades ago, he has neither attended any meeting or played any noticeable role as a member of the party. He is not even known in his ward and has not paid a single dime as membership dues which qualifies him as a member. It is surprising therefore that after he was “visited” by some leaders of NLC, he suddenly woke up from his slumber.
“The point here is that the Labour Party is not aware of the existence of any Board of Trustees. Recall that NLC has continued to propose for the reconstitution of the BoT as well as the convocation of the National Convention.
“Over 90 percent of persons being suggested to form membership of the proposed BoT have since left the party to join other political parties, some even contested various political positions on the platform of other political parties while some others featured prominently in the presidential campaigns of the other political parties even when Labour Party equally featured a candidate in the 2023 general election.”