Nasarawa LP Declares Support For Abure

The Nasarawa State chapter of the Labour Party, LP has declared support for the embattled National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, amidst leadership tussle with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC. 

In an interview with newsmen in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital, the state party chairman Mr Alexander Ombugu, disclosed that the leaders and members of the party in Nasarawa State would continue to remain loyal and committed to the Abure’s leadership of the party at the national level.

He explained that the national chairman had been facing challenging times because some persons who were not comfortable with his transparent leadership style wants him to vacate the seat at all cost.

Ombugu decried that the NLC was currently not aligning with the National Chairman despite his efforts to bring the party to limelight and the many achievements he had recorded since he was first elected into office.

“On this issue happening at the national level of our dear party, what I will say is that all of us in the Nasarawa State Labour Party are solidly behind our National Chairman, Julius Abure. 

“Some people are only fighting him because the man is too good. They are fighting him because he is a transparent leader. We love him and we will continue to stand by him.

“However, I am surprised that the NLC are having some issues with him. It should not be so because Abure has achieved a lot for the Labour Party. They should rather see how to support him to take the party to greater heights, instead of the disagreements which is capable of taking the party backwards,” he added.

Speaking on the recent supreme court judgement that granted local governments autonomy, Ombugu who declared support for the judgement added that the autonomy which was granted to the third tier of government would enhance democracy at the grassroots and empower the authorities to make decisions that would have a positive impact on the lives of the rural dwellers.

He, however, urged the federal government to work towards ensuring that Local Government elections are conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to make the process more credible.

Alexander Ombugu added that the state LP had lost confidence in States Independent Electoral Commission to continue to conduct the LG elections because the process had most times been manipulated in favour of the highest bidders.

“If INEC will start conducting Local Government elections, it is definitely going to be better than what we are having now. At the moment, even people who did not campaign for electoral positions, are announced as winners of elections they did not participate in. 

“So, we are appealing that INEC should take over our chairmanship and councilorship elections. This will enable the electorates to choose their leaders by themselves,” Ombugu, said.

While announcing that the LP’s doors were now open to receive new members and defecting members from other political parties in the state, Ombugu called on all existing members from the 13 LGAs of the state to remain committed to the struggle to take over power at the state and federal levels in year 2027.