Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Chairman of the Labour Party in Anambra State, Hon Ugochukwu Emeh, has said that his position as the party’s chairman in the state is still intact and never in dispute.
Hon Emeh was reacting to claims that a new Labour Party chairman in the person of Hon Peter Okoye emerged in the State.
Okoye, during a press briefing in Awka, the state capital,had said Hon Julius Abure remains a former national chairman, and that Hon Ugochukwu Emeh has also ceased to be the state chairman of LP in Anambra.
He said Emeh has been removed and that he (Okoye) replaced him as acting state chairman, alongside other members of the executive.
He said Emeh was removed for being one of those who attended the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the party convened by embattled national chairman, Barr Julius Abure.
Okoye who held a meeting with the new executive of the party before addressing journalists on Saturday said: “I just held a meeting to enlighten members of my executive of what is happening at the national level in our great party. Labour Party is still one. Our former national chairman, Barr Julius Abure was suspended, due to forgery, perjury and criminal activities in our party.
“After Abure’s suspension, he went ahead and called NEC meeting, which is contempt of court. So the resolution was everyone that attended the NEC meeting convened by him, except the presidential candidate of Labour Party and his vice, all the senators-elect, House of Representatives members-elect, governor-elect and the House of Assembly members-elect should be suspended.
“So in Anambra, I was appointed to replace the former chairman of the party, Hon Ugochukwu Emeh. He was one of those who attended the illegal NEC meeting in Asaba called by Abure. Everyone you see here today are now new members of the executive, and we will act for six months.”
Speaking further, Okoye said: “We want to make it clear that the story surrounding Apapa is false. He is not being sponsored by Tinubu. Apapa is against the criminal activities happening in the party for a long time. He has been in the party for over 21 years. About N400million is at stake and no one is talking about it.
“What is happening is that the party is not against Peter Obi, but we are here to fight the bad management style of Abure because no one is above the law.
“The N400million we are talking about is party funds, which he (Abure) diverted to his own personal account,” Okoye said.
