The Acting National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, in this interview with ADEBAYO FOLORUNSHO-FRANCIS, bares his mind on factors that are fuelling the leadership crisis rocking the party
The emergence of Alhaji Lamidi Apapa-led leadership of the Labour Party aided by a court order took everyone by storm. Many alluded that this was made possible by the likes of Comrade Anslem Eragbe and Abayomi. How true is this?
First of all, there was no judgment. You will recall that on April 4, a High Court sitting in Benin issued an order restraining the Labour Party and its members including a ward chairman in Edo from suspending the national chairman, Julius Abure. On that same April 5, another High Court in the FCT, depending on the exparte order brought by the Apapa-led faction also restrained Abure from parading himself as the national chairman. So there was nothing like a judgment. Be that as it may, let me clearly say that the background to the crisis in the LP was a result of the ambitions of two men – Anslem Eragbe and Abayomi Arabambi. Eragbe was a senatorial candidate in Edo State and was a former national youth leader of the party. He went out of the dictate of the party. He did a whole lot of anti-party activities for which the party called him to order. But he disregarded it and got sanctioned. Consequently, he started his campaign to fight the party.
The same thing happened to Arabambi, the LP’s erstwhile publicity secretary. He was given an assignment in Lagos and Ogun states. But he failed to perform. Through his activities, we almost lost the chance of fielding candidates in those states. So the party has no option but to sanction him. That was what led to the crisis. Like you rightly said, we are in court. That was because both men dragged the leadership of the party to court where they raised some frivolous and unsubstantiated allegations. They have made themselves willing tools to be used. We will fight to regain the mandate given to our presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi. These people are doing everything to stall the progress of the case in court. They are determined to sustain the matter in court. That is where we are now.
Why is it difficult for the NLC to reconcile both factions in an out-of-court settlement?
It is practically impossible. They came up with allegations that cannot be substantiated and went around boasting. The NLC knows the truth. Now you have an allegation against the leadership of the party and you have gone to court. Is it not right for you to allow the court to dispense the matter? What you got was an order, not even a judgment and you are gallivanting all over the nation. An exparte order for that matter! The main substance of the case has not even been heard. We understand that they are just looking for a way for an out-of-court settlement. But we rather allow the matter to run its course in the court. They actually have nothing to prove their case. That is why we are asking our members all over the country to keep faith with the party and its leadership knowing that this storm will be over very soon. At the end of the day, the so-called rodents that were injected into the party to cause distraction will be taken out.
How will you react to the allegation of corruption, nepotism and forgery levelled against your national chairman, Abure and his executive?
I really won’t like to comment much on this issue because it would appear subjudiced. The case is already in court and we have our facts. But let me give you a little insight into what happened. When (Peter) Obi joined Labour Party, quite a lot of people joined with him. The LP had no candidate then in Ebonyi State at all. So we were actually shopping for someone that would become our candidate in that state. Mr Eragbe (former national youth leader) suddenly came with one Mr Eze. After discussion, the LP handed over the leadership of the party for him to help up the structure in Ebonyi State. Two weeks later, it was time to buy forms and there was nobody coming out. So we asked him (Eze) to put his name as a placeholder. That was what happened at so many parties too. Many people just like him put their names as placeholders and they also signed withdrawal forms. On his part, Eze did not pay for the form but we put him as the state chairman until we are able to produce a candidate within the withdrawal window approved by INEC. So within that period, someone else came who we considered a serious candidate.
A primary was conducted and he won. Consequently, Mr Eze withdrew. The same signature that he used to sign was the same signature he used in his withdrawal form. He was also the one who sent the material that was uploaded to the INEC portal and withdrew voluntarily. We couldn’t believe that after a few days, the same Eze came with another candidate, saying this is the person he would like to step down for. So we told him that he could not dictate to the party. Only the party has the power to take a major decision. Besides, the LP has conducted its primary and picked a candidate. But the man stormed out of the meeting and threatened to deal with the party. That was how he fell into the hands of these other disgruntled men. Then the problem began.
But Arabambi had contested his expulsion from the party in a press statement sent out some days ago, arguing that he remains the substantive national publicity secretary
Well, he is free to contest it. But before his expulsion, he was just a member of the National Working Committee in an acting capacity. Besides, his tenure has since ended even before the crisis began. The party only kept on renewing his status. But again, that was at the NWC level. In the hierarchy of authority in LP, there are two other organs that are higher than the NWC. The National Executive Council, which has a lot to do with the national convention met on April 18. The NEC is a meeting of members of the NWC, trustees of the party, 36 states chairmen and the FCT, elected party leaders.
When the NEC met, they came up with a far-reaching decision. One of them is the expulsion of the former national publicity secretary, Arabambi and the placing of Anslem Eragbe on indefinite suspension.
The truth remains that the members of the Apapa-led faction who have been giving the party problems have been placed on suspension. We have also appointed replacements for these people. It will take another NEC meeting or National Convention to reverse that. But for now, there is no need for such an emergency. This was the position taken by all the leaders to move the party forward. It is a far-reaching decision, which is binding. For the record again, Mr Arabambi is no longer the NPS.
There was heightened tension following the reopening of the party secretariat by NLC president Ajaero that both factions may clash again. How did your officials manage the situation?
Let me make you understand that the NLC and TUC are the two owners of the LP. They founded it and remain the trustees. No leadership can take place in the Labour Party without the consent and approval of the trustees. The man claiming to be the acting national chairman (Apapa), who appointed him? For your information, no party has four deputy chairmen. Assuming Mr Abure steps aside, the party has a way of nominating any of the deputies to take over. How could someone wake up one morning and crown himself as the acting chairman almost the same day he started dismantling everything that has been out together by the party? It shows you where they are coming from. They have ulterior motives. They are obviously working for their paymasters and the trustees of the party led by the NLC have said it cannot happen. To have a change of leadership in the party, the trustees and leaders must come together and agree. There is nothing like heightened tension anywhere at all. It may interest you to also know that the trustees have made it clear that the party they own is still run under the leadership of Julius Abure. So there is no tension anywhere. As law-abiding citizens of the party, we are waiting to hear the judgment of the FCT High Court. Already, there is an order from Edo High Court that nobody can remove Abure. These men parading themselves have already contravened the order of the court. They came, forced their way in, ransacked the offices, packed relevant files and shared their offices. Is that how to run an office?
Some critics said this crisis could have been averted if LP has managed its internal wrangling well. Why was it so difficult?
As I said, this thing you called internal wrangling has some external forces pulling the strings. It is a case of the tiny voice of Jacob and the hand of Esau. So it will be difficult. We made efforts and sent queries. It was up to them to do the right thing. But because there were a lot of people outside fuelling the crisis, it made the whole process so difficult.
What about the allegation that the ruling APC was to blame for the crisis following the allegation it infiltrated and induce the rank and file of the LP leadership?
That was very obvious. We have it on good authority that the APC is behind it. Not just the ruling party but the PDP as well. They felt that if they relegated us to the second position in the presidential election, it would arouse suspicion that LP won the election. So they smartly pegged us at third place. We are not ruling out the fact that even the PDP is also working against us, The one that is obvious was that of the APC, which we know has infiltrated our party members.
