The Lamidi Apapa faction of the Labour Party (LP) has raised objections to the appointment of an interim chairman of the party in Gombe State by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), labeling it as unacceptable. Meanwhile, the Julius Abure faction has also expressed unawareness of the development, emphasizing that they already have a substantive state chairman in Gombe.
Tensions between the NLC and the LP leadership have escalated recently, with the NLC accusing LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, of single-handedly running the affairs of the party. In response, the NLC’s political commission, led by its National Secretary, Chris Uyot, endorsed the reinstatement of Sani Abdulsalam, the former Gombe LP Chairman who was allegedly dismissed by the Abure-led National Working Committee for anti-party activities.
Uyot announced Abdulsalam’s appointment as interim chairman of the LP in Gombe, pending the conduct of local government elections in the state. The appointment letter was disseminated to various stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Department of State Services (DSS), Gombe State Police Command, and the Secretary to the Gombe State Government.
However, the spokesman for the Apapa faction, Abayomi Arabambi, disavowed the arrangement, asserting that the NLC lacks the authority to impose anyone on the party. Arabambi warned of potential constitutional action against the NLC, emphasizing that the LP constitution does not grant control of the party to external entities like the NLC or Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Similarly, LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, reiterated that LP already has a legitimate state chairman in Gombe. He clarified that Abdulsalam, the purportedly appointed interim chairman, was previously removed from office by the LP for engaging in anti-party activities. Ifoh suggested that the NLC’s recognition of Abdulsalam may not constitute a valid appointment, but rather a symbolic gesture amid the ongoing conflict between LP and NLC.