Spokesperson of former vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, has said the decision of Julius Abure to hold on as national Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) despite being rejected represents the typical Nigerian politician.
Naija News reports that the LP held its National Executive Council meeting on Wednesday and Abure was absent despite the call by the Caretaker committee of the party that he should shelve his sword and join them.
Abure warned the 2023 presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, and the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, not to convene any National Executive Council meeting, insisting the court affirmed his position as the party’s Chairman.
But they ignored his warning and convened the NEC.
They also proceeded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to present a certified true copy of the judgment of the Supreme Court, which they said affirmed their stance rejecting Abure as the National Chairman.
Speaking in an interview on Channels Television, Akande said it was essential to talk to Abure to show a bit of charity to himself for the good of this country.
Akande also said there is a possibility of external influences in the crisis rocking the Labour Party.
He said, “The Labour Party, at a point, represented a significant hope. You know, don’t worry whether the presidential candidate went as much as he wanted to, but the Labour Party showed that something new can brew out of this country.
“In terms of politics, you saw a new and vibrant mobilization of the people. It’s good for our country now. Since then and now, we’ve seen how all of that is beginning to unravel.
“What has happened this last week is a renewal of hope in the Labour Party, but Mr. Julius Abure is the only obstacle. And of course, you know people around him who don’t really, just like you said, they don’t form the significant essence of the party. Everybody that mattered in that party seemed to have gotten the right memory. Look, the time for Julius Abure is over.
“Now, if you come to the legal part of it, it was Julius Abure that went to court to stop INEC and the party from not recognizing him anymore, because his tenure had elapsed.
“And so the matter proceeded from the High Court to the Appeal, and now the Supreme Court has said it’s not our business. So, that means the matter has reverted to where it was when Abure went to court, which is no longer the chair of the party.
“So it’s just a question of time that Julius Abure is going to fizzle out. What I’m asking him for is a bit of charity. To just do the right thing, keep the remainder of his honour. He can keep it so that he can, he can exit in some dignified sense, because it’s very clear already.”
“We must also understand that Julius Abure also represents the typical Nigerian politician. So it’s not that Julius Abure is behaving out of context. This is how the average Nigerian politician behaves in personal advertisements. That’s the only reason why Abure is still paying for all these tactics.
“Why must you be a chairman of the party after your tenure has elapsed for God’s sake, somebody needs to do Julius a bit of good and call him to his side and say, ‘look, come on. The Labour Party is greater than you.’
“The Supreme Court ruling is very clear. It’s very clear that the Supreme court has rejected the chairmanship of Julius. The Supreme Court has said that you cannot be an obstacle. And yet he has the audacity to go out and be talking the way I just don’t understand.
“It’s not impossible there is external influences. We don’t have any evidence, but, you know, we will not rule it out, you know. But let’s just talk to Abure and say, ‘Look, help Nigeria, because a properly organized Labour Party brings a bit of fresh air. We saw it for the last time. Why is Abure constituting himself into an obstacle?”
