Yesterday, the Labour Party's state secretariat in Edo State became the stage for a surprising turn of events as Ken Omusi, the party's youth leader, made a bold move to dismiss the Kelly Ogbaloi-led State Working Committee.
The party finds itself embroiled in turmoil following the primary election and subsequent suspension of members ahead of the September 21 governorship election in the state.
Addressing journalists at the party's Benin City secretariat, Omusi asserted himself as the acting chairman and appointed Stanley Orobosa as secretary, along with another member, forming a three-man interim executive committee for the party in the state.
Omusi cited what he deemed as the "draconian and tyrannical" leadership style of the ousted state executive as the catalyst for the change in leadership.
He claimed that in the past three months alone, more than 350 members had been suspended from the party on the WhatsApp platform by the state chairman without proper authorization from the party.
In a decisive move, Omusi announced the dissolution of the party's existing executives and called upon the national leadership in Abuja to validate their actions and resolutions.
"I, Ken Omusi, am the acting chairman, joined by Comrade Stanley Orobosa and other committee members. We have formed a three-man committee at the state level, each of the 18 local government areas, and each of the 192 wards," he declared.
However, in response to Omusi's assertions, Kelly Ogbaloi remained adamant, asserting his position as the legitimate party chairman in the state and refuting Omusi's authority to remove any member of the state working committee.
"The only body empowered to remove any state working committee member is the national working committee," Ogbaloi emphasized.
"I continue to serve as the substantive chairman of the Labour Party in Edo State. No part of the party has been dissolved. The group mentioned lacks the legal authority to dissolve any state executive council," he asserted.
The Labour Party now finds itself grappling with internal strife as these opposing factions vie for control, raising questions about the party's unity and stability in the lead-up to the gubernatorial election that will come up in September.
It will be recalled that some prominent members of the party are not backing the candidacy of the party flag-bearer; barrister Olumide Akpata.
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