- We’re not surprised by Moghalu’s resignation – APC
The face-off between the leadership of the Labour Party and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State took another twist on Wednesday when he (Otti) announced his intention to summon a meeting of the National Executive Committee.
The proposed NEC, which has been rechristened ‘Stakeholders’ Meeting’ following Tuesday’s outburst by the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, is slated for September 4 at the Government House in Umuahia, Abia State.
This was disclosed in a circular issued by the Senior Special Assistant to Otti on Public Communication, Dodoh Okafor.
Otti said the meeting was aimed at building a stronger and better Labour Party.
The gathering will have LP Presidential candidate, Peter Obi; his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed; members of the Julius Aburi-led National Working Committee, senators, and House of Representatives members in attendance.
The circular partly read, “Three representatives of the Nigerian Labour Congress who are members of the National Executive Council of the Party, three representatives of the Trade Union Congress who are members of the National Executive Council of Labour Party, Vice Presidential candidate of the 2023 election will be attending.
“Also invited are Abia deputy governor, all serving and former Senators who are members of the party, all serving and former members of the House of Representatives, serving members of Houses of Assembly of States, five members of the Abure-led National Working Committee viz: National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman, Secretary, Woman Leader and Youth Leader, Gubernatorial candidates of Edo and Ondo states.
“The following former governorship candidates representing the six geo-political zones will attend: Ken Pela (Delta State – South South), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (Lagos State – South West), Chijioke Edeoga (Enugu State – South East), Jonathan Asake (Kaduna state – North West), Patrick Dakum (Plateau State – North Central), Keftin Amuga (Gombe State – North East).”
The development comes in the wake of Tuesday’s warning by Abure that Otti should stick to governance and stop meddling in the party affairs by summoning NEC meetings.
The National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure, issued the warning at a press conference held at the LP secretariat in Abuja.
The LP national chairman’s anger stemmed from a recent meeting he had with Otti where the Abia governor stated his intention to convene a NEC meeting on August 31 to dissolve the executives at the ward, local government, state, and national levels on the purported ground that their tenures had expired.
But Abure kicked, saying it was not the position of its governor to consider taking such a decision.
When contacted for a reaction to Otti’s insistence on having the stakeholder’s meeting, the LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said that they were unaware of such a circular.
Ifoh said, “We are officially unaware of any meeting. I am just hearing that it has been changed from NEC to stakeholders’ meeting along with the new date from you.”
He, however, declined to comment on whether Abure and the NWC members will attend the proposed meeting.
We’re not surprised by Moghalu’s resignation – APC
In the same vein, a founding member and first National Auditor of All Progressives Congress, George Moghalu, has formally resigned his membership of the ruling party.
However, the APC leadership said it was not surprised by Moghalu’s resignation, saying he was believed to have quit the party long ago.
Moghalu’s resignation was contained in a letter addressed to his Uruagu Ward 1 chairman in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State on Tuesday.
A copy of the letter titled ‘Resignation of membership of the APC’ was also forwarded to his state and local government chairmen.
Although the former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority did not give a hint on his next destination, he hinged his decision on personal reasons.
The move was coming on the heels of repeated denial after months of speculation that Moghalu was planning to dump the party.
He wrote, “I bring you good wishes of my dear family and to formally notify you of my decision to resign my membership of the APC with effect from today, August 26, 2024.
“Please accept this as my personal decision. It is my utmost desire and expectation that all of us will continue to maintain the cordial relationship that we have built together over the years.
“I wish you and all the members of the party the very best. Please accept, as always, the assurance of my best regards.
Reacting to the development, the APC National Deputy Organising Secretary, Nze Duru, said that the letter of resignation was merely a formality.
He said, “Moghalu has long left the party. He only formalised it. He left a long time ago. Any addition (to the party) is always good. But we wish him good luck wherever he departs.
“These are people who benefited immensely from being in the party and now, for reasons best known to him, he decided to leave. We can only wish him luck.”
Moghalu is believed to be nursing the ambition to contest the 2025 Anambra State governorship election.
The Deputy Publicity Secretary of the Anambra State APC, Hilary Ogemdi, said the party did not have the full details of Moghalu’s resignation yet.
Ogemdi said, “We also saw the news of his resignation in the media, but the state chapter of the party is yet to be officially briefed. When the party receives the full details, it will make an official statement on the development.
“But be that as it may, we can only wish him well in his next political destination. Before the latest development, he was also nursing the ambition to contest the 2025 Anambra State governorship election under the APC. His resignation must have been a personal decision and reason, and the party can only respect his wishes and decisions.
“The APC has become a moving train in Anambra that has been repositioned to win the state governorship election in 2025.”
