Anambra LP chairman insists Abure remained sacked

The crisis rocking the national leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has permeated Anambra State as a new chairman, Hon Peter Okoye has emerged in the state.

Okoye, who held a meeting with the new executive of the party, said Hon Ugochukwu Emeh has been removed.

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.

He said he (Okoye) replaced Emeh as acting state chairman in Anambra State, alongside other members of the executive.

Okoye, who briefed journalists in Awka after holding a meeting with members of his executive, insisted that Abure remains a former national chairman, and that Hon Ugochukwu Emeh has also ceased to be the state chairman of LP in Anambra State.

READ ALSO: Court returns Julius Abure as Labour Party National Chairman

“I just held a meeting to enlighten members of my executive about what is happening at the national level in our great party. The 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 a NEC meeting, which is contempt of court. So the resolution was that 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,” he said.

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 N400 million 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 N400 million we are talking about is party funds, which he (Abure) diverted to his own personal account.”

Hon Emeh, in a reaction to journalists over his alleged removal, said Okoye and his cohorts were out to swindle unsuspecting members of the party.

He insisted he remained the state chairman, while also calling on members of the party to distance themselves from Okoye.