Rita Odafe
Senator Ireti Kingibe Criticizes Julius Abure’s Leadership
Ireti Kingibe, the senator for the Federal Capital Territory, has spoken out against Julius Abure, the national chairman of the Labour Party who is currently facing challenges.
On Tuesday, Kingibe expressed her support for a new 29-member committee tasked with guiding the party towards a national convention. This committee was formed under the leadership of Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, alongside other party stakeholders.
This endorsement was made during a four-day free medical outreach initiative that she organized for residents in Abuja.
Partnering with the National Commission for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, the outreach attracted many individuals looking for eye care, treatments, and consultations for possible cataract issues.
Representing Kingibe, her senior aide Dr. Chris Omofoma shared with The Punch that the party is aware that Abure’s term expired in June 2023.
Despite this, Kingibe noted that Abure and his supporters refuse to recognize this fact. She mentioned that both Otti and Obi had previously asked for an extension of Abure’s term by one year, intending to regroup after the loss in the 2023 presidential elections.
Notably, Abure, his National Secretary Umar Farouk, and National Youth Leader Kennedy Ahanotu missed the broader stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia called by Governor Otti to address the leadership issues within the party.
However, the current leadership under Abure opposes the newly formed caretaker committee led by Nenadi Usman, calling it illegitimate.
She remarked, “There isn’t a real crisis within Labour. The current NWC led by Abure is unwilling to accept that their tenure has ended, as even INEC made it clear that it expired in June 2023.”
She added that Otti and Obi had previously extended this tenure to facilitate recovery from the 2023 electoral defeat, which means it has now officially lapsed.
“The actions taken by Otti, Obi, and other party members align with constitutional regulations and INEC guidelines. Abure needs to acknowledge that his time has passed and take appropriate action.”
“I fully endorse the committee led by Nenadi Usman as this is the way forward. Any actions from Abure’s faction are unlawful.”
Additionally, the senator highlighted that the medical outreach was a significant achievement.
Her goal was to provide crucial medical services to 5,000 people within her constituency in the FCT.
