A group under the aegis of Labour Party Youth Vanguard has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Mike Omotosho as Acting National Chairman of Labour Party (LP).
Specifically, the LP Youth Vanguard accused the sacked national chairman of the party, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, of N20 million fraud.
Leading a protest to the headquarters of the Commission in Abuja on Monday, Coordinator of the group, Abdullahi Ahmed, insisted that the party had sacked Abdulkadir Abdulsalam as its national chairman.
According to him, Abdulsalam was validly removed as substantive chairman of the party in October 2017, following allegations of financial recklessness, breach of trust, forgery and anti-party activities.
Delivering a protest letter to the Commission’s Assistant Director of Security, Musa Sekpe, Ahmed argued that the inability of INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu from respecting the outcome of the party’s convention in October 2017 is capable of jeopardizing Labour Party as well as posing a threat to national security and peaceful co-existence of the party.
The document was addressed to INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, dated Monday, February 5, 2018.
“Allegations of fraud, embezzlement, forgery and anti-party activities were levelled against the former Chairman, Abdulsalam and arising from a petition from the Governorship candidate of our Party in the just concluded Anambra State Governorship election, Christian Ikechukwu Enemuo wherein he accused Abdulsalam of defrauding him of the sum of Twenty Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N20,500,000.00) without giving him the Party’s ticket even where he was the lone candidate. Consequently, the National Working Committee of the Party met and reviewed the allegations and a disciplinary committee was set up to give fair hearing to all sides.
“The former Chairman, Treasurer, Legal Adviser and National Vice Chairman South East refused to appear before the committee and another letter requesting their response in writing was forwarded to them. All correspondences stated that failure to appear and respond will attract consequences such as suspension from the party and removal from office.
“The National Working Committee later met to ratify the report of the Disciplinary Committee where it was agreed that the case of fraud and embezzlement be reported to the Police. The Police have since indicted him for criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, forgery and the Independent National Electoral Commission was duly informed in writing. Twenty-one (21) days notice was duly given, the Police was informed and all other procedures followed diligently.
“The Special Convention was held on the 3rd of October, 2017. Three members of the Independent National Electoral Commission monitored, the Police was present, the media and other stakeholders were present and all the laid down rules in our constitution were followed to the letter. The former Chairman, Abdulsalam was removed from office.
“A new National Chairman, Mike Omotosho emerged in the convention. Meanwhile the National Working Committee has gotten a court injunction restraining the former Chairman from access to the National Secretariat,” the letter read.
He urged Yakubu to prevail on relevant officers within the commission to remove the former Chairman’s name from the INEC website and replace with Omotosho as the new Chairman.
Responding, Sekpe, promised to deliver the message to the commission.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
