The Labour Party announced on Wednesday the composition of a 29-man caretaker committee to be chaired by former Minister of Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman.
The immediate-past Senate Minority Deputy Leader, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, was also appointed to serve as Secretary to the committee, which will midwife an election of a new leadership of the party within the next 90 days.
The party reached the resolution at the end of the party’s NEC/Extended Stakeholders meeting held at Government House Umuahia, according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor of Abia State, Ukoha Njoku.
He said that the Terms of Reference of the Committee include ensuring the conduct of ward, local government, state congresses, and national conventions as soon as possible and in accordance with the Constitution of the Labour Party.
At the end of the NEC/Extended Stakeholders Meeting held in Umuahia, the Abia State Capital, a roll call was conducted and the meeting was confirmed to be duly convened that a 29-member Caretaker Committee was constituted immediately to ensure that there is no vacuum in the Leadership of the Party.
Other members represented various interest groups, including NLC, TUC, Senate, House of Representatives, House of Assembly, and gubernatorial candidates in the last election.
The meeting equally commended Governor Alex Otti for his leadership in hosting the meeting and enjoined members of the party to support the Caretaker Committee to achieve its mandates.
The resolution named other members of the committee to include 3 senators, 4 members of the House of Representatives, 3 members from the State House of Assembly, 3 members from the Nigeria Labour Congress, 3 members from the Trade Union Congress, and 3 members from the gubernatorial candidates in the last election, among others.
The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, said that the meeting was convened to deal with the existential problems confronting the party and chart a way forward for the party.
He noted that the tenure of the National Working Committee of the Party headed by Bar. Julius Abure had elapsed since 10th of June 2024 and called on all stakeholders of the party to join forces together to resolve every internal problem of the party.
Governor Otti said that the overall interest of all Labour Party stakeholders is the survival of the party and not necessarily the composition of the NWC as far as it is constitutionally composed.
Also speaking, the national leader of the party and presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, said that all they are doing is following the guidelines established by law to save the party from total collapse.
He noted that the Labour Party, being the third largest party in Nigeria, has the potential to be the brightest if things are put in the right perspective and urged members of the party to give the caretaker committee the needed support to enable it to succeed in its assignments.
Responding on behalf of members of the caretaker committee, the chairman, Senator Usman, thanked the national leader of the party, Mr. Peter Obi, and other stakeholders for finding them fit for the task and assured them that they would justify the confidence reposed in them.
Highlights of the meeting were the reaffirmation of the solid confidence in the leadership of the National Leader of the party, Mr. Peter Obi, and the resolution that all members with legal cases against the party should withdraw the same for the overall interest of the party.
