ANAYO EZUGWU 
ANAYO EZUGWU examines the crisis rocking Labour Party (LP) in Abia State ahead of the local government election in the state scheduled for November 2
Abia State prepares for its local government election on November 2, there is no doubt that the ruling party in the state, Labour Party (LP), is enmeshed in crisis. This is as factions of the party loyal to Governor Alex Otti and the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) are at loggerheads over the conduct of the polls.
Abure faction
The Abure-led faction has not only accused Governor Otti of undue interference in the process, it warned against the potential abuse of power by the state government during the local council polls.
In a statement titled,: “Ensuring the Integrity of Local Government Elections in Abia State” and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the Abure faction said that Labour Party strongly condemns and expresses deep concern over how the upcoming local government elections in the state is being handled under the leadership of Governor Otti.
Ifoh, who notef that the Labour Party firmly believes that local councils ought to be catalysts for grassroots development, growth, and transformation, however decried that the council “have been systematically deprived of their function due to the misappropriation of funds and the diversion of resources by state governments, which continue to monopolize power at the expense of local governance.
It is the theft of local government funds and the undemocratic practices employed by some state governments that have rendered local councils ineffective.” He added that esources meant for the people at the grassroots level are often siphoned, with little or no accountability.
His words: “It is on this foundation that the Labour Party strongly condemns and expresses deep concern over how the upcoming local government elections in Abia State are being handled under the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Alex Otti. “We must be vigilant to ensure that the electoral process is conducted in a fair, transparent, and democratic manner, free from interference or manipulation by those in power.
The local government elections offer a critical opportunity to restore trust in governance and allow for true representation of the people’s interests. “We must state unequivocally that the Labour Party demands the freedom to organize its primaries without interference. The party’s grassroots members in Abia State must be allowed to freely choose their candidates through a transparent and democratic process.
Only through such a process can we guarantee that competent party members emerge as candidates, representing the true will of the people. “We insist that those selected to contest for positions, whether through appointments or elections, must reflect the party’s ideals of integrity, accountability, and commitment to public service.
While we acknowledge the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Alex Otti, we cannot, in good faith, overlook the potential for abuse of power that has characterized local government elections in many states across Nigeria. It is a troubling trend for state governments to skew local elections in favour of the ruling party, thereby subverting the democratic will of the people.
“We sincerely hope that Governor Otti, who himself rose to prominence through a mandate built on the people’s trust, will not follow in the footsteps of others who have used their position to manipulate electoral outcomes. We are optimistic that Governor Otti will conduct the forthcoming local government elections in Abia State with the highest level of transparency and integrity. The process must be open, competitive, and, above all, democratic.”
Ifoh said as a leader who ascended to power through the collective support of the people, it is expected that Governor Otti should uphold the very principles that brought him to office and resist the temptation to undermine the process and instead use this election as a model for others to emulate.
He said the Labour Party expects that the local government elections in Abia State will not only be a test of Governor Otti’s commitment to democracy but also an opportunity to set a new standard for local governance across Nigeria. “The Nigerian people are yearning for credible elections, and these elections must be conducted free of the undue influence of political elites. The future of our local councils and indeed the future of our democracy depend on this,” he said.
Otti’s camp fires back
Responding to the allegation, the faction loyal to Governor Otti called on the public to disregard an announcement by the party’s former chairman, Mr. Ceekay Igara, regarding the sale of nomination forms.
In a statement by the acting chairman of the party in the state, Mr. Emmanuel Otti, urged party members to obtain their nomination forms from the Labour Party secretariat in Umuahia, the state capital.
Otti emphasized that all official statements or instructions concerning the party’s activities in the state must come from the caretaker committee. He added that any contrary information should be regarded as an act of impersonation and reported to the appropriate authorities.
He said: “The attention of the Labour Party, Abia State chapter has been drawn to a radio announcement issued by the former chairman of the Labour Party in the state, Mr. Ceekay Igara directing members of the public on where to purchase nomination forms for the Party’s Primaries ahead of the forthcoming Local Government Election in the state.
“The public is hereby enjoined to disregard the unauthorised and misleading announcement because Mr. Igara’s tenure had expired alongside other members of the state and national working committees led by Julius Abure, which prompted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cease to recognise them. It is on this basis that the party set up a National Caretaker Committee chaired by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman.
“The Labour Party in Abia State is not interested in extorting members of the public nor obtaining money from them by trick, hence we are poised to ensure that the sale of forms and selection of candidates is done in a responsible, orderly and peaceful manner to ensure that peace reigns even after the exercise.”
ABSIEC declares readiness
The Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) had in September unveiled its electoral calendar for the local government chairmanship and councillorship elections.
This announcement comes as the chairpersons of various parties express concerns about meeting the timetable deadlines, scheduled for November 2, to usher in elected council chairpersons and 184 councillors across the 17 local government areas of Abia State.
During a meeting involving all the political parties in the state, along with security personnel, members of the state House of Assembly and other observers, the chairman of ABSIEC, Prof. George Chima, outlined the timetable as follows: Notice of Election (Saturday, September 21, 2024), Political Party Primaries (Wednesday, September 25, 2024 – Friday, October 4, 2024), Submission of List of Candidates by Political Parties (Saturday, October 5, 2024 – Monday, October 7, 2024), Screening of Candidates by ABSIEC (Tuesday, October 8, 2024 – Thursday, October 10, 2024).
Hearing of Appeals/Complaints by the Appeals Screening Committee (Friday, October 11, 2024 – Saturday, October 12, 2024), Substitution and Screening of Substituted Candidates (Monday, October 14, 2024 – Tuesday, October 15, 2024), Final Publication of List of Candidates (Wednesday, October 16, 2024), Electioneering Campaigns (Friday, October 18, 2024 – Thursday, October 31, 2024), Notice of Polls (Friday, October 18, 2024), and Local Government Election Date (Saturday, November 2, 2024).
Addressing the parties, the ABSIEC chairman stated: “We all understand the importance of a democratic system of governance in local government, as it is where the greater number of the governed resides. Proper attention should be paid to ensuring a credible system of electing its operators.
“The essence of this meeting is to assure you of the commission’s true desire and determination to ensure that the right things are done rightly. In the past, there has been apprehension regarding the impartiality of the umpires in this onerous responsibility, but our commitment to ushering in true democratic principles remains pivotal. “The present commission comprises men and women of integrity and outstanding pedigree, committed to changing the narrative.
Our assurance to you is that the elections for our various local government councils in 2024 will no longer be business as usual. The commission is highly determined to ensure the elections are free, fair, and credible.” He called on all stakeholders to ensure that contestants and political parties adhere to the rules, as this will complement the commission’s efforts to achieve the common goal of effective and credible governance.
However, political parties present at the meeting raised concerns about the credibility of council members, the lack of information regarding the cost of forms, and the inability to involve parties, including the InterParty Advisory Council (IPAC), in planning the timetable, as well as the lateness of the timetable’s announcement. When questioned afterwards, Chima did not provide a budgetary estimate for the election, stating that all “conventional and unconventional security apparatuses” would be employed to conduct the elections, and further guidelines regarding the cost of election forms would be forthcoming
