LP suspends former chairman, five others in Lagos

The Lagos State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has suspended indefinitely, six leaders of the party including immediate former chairman, Kayode Salako over anti party activities in the just concluded gubernatorial election.

Lagos State Secretary of the party, Sam Okpala disclosed this in a press briefing on Thursday at the party’s secretariat in Ikeja.

Okpala said the leaders where suspended after a committee that was setup and headed by Deputy chairman of the party, Paul Ogene to investigate the leaders submitted its report on March 31.

He said the affected leaders were invited to defend allegations against them, adding that the move was inline with article 19 of the party’s constitution and had become necessary to serve as deterrent to others.

The names of the suspended chieftains are; Kayode Salako, Moshood Salvador, Mutiu Okunola, Theodore Ezeeunara, Olumide Adesoyin.

Similarly, another leader of the party, Onitiri Sunbo, who was also accused of anti party activities in the gubernatorial poll resigned his membership of the party when contacted by the party leaders.

Okpala further stated that the Lagos LP’s investigation shows that the affected leaders worked for the ruling party’s candidate in the March 31 gubernatorial election, despite claiming to be a members of the party, adding that their suspension takes immediate effect.

According to Okpala,,“LP in its post mortem on what happened in the gubernatorial election discovered that a lot of people who calls themselves members of the party where working for the opposition in Lagos State.

“A disciplinary committee was setup to give them fair hearing, so they can clear their names and a report was submitted on March 31, the report was rectified for immediate implementation.

“Six members where involved and various forms of punishment was given and rectified for the affected individuals. LP cannot have enemy within, you cannot be in LP and be working for others”.

Similarly, Okpala also said that the Lagos State chapter was fully supporting the embattled national chairman of the party, Julius Abure, who has been facing opposition to his office and threat of suspension by some disgruntled members.

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He said recent threat to Abure’s position was sponsored by the ruling party to destabilize the party and stop the LP from reclaiming its mandate at the tribunal.

“We as a party is fully in support of the national chairman and other officers in the court case.

“We are passing a vote of confidence on our national chairman and the officers. We know the immense contribution they have made toward’s the party’s growth across the country”, he said.

The LP is the main opposition party in Lagos State, backed by a wave of young Nigerians, called the Obidient, who want a change in narrative and good governance for Nigeria.

The party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi won the presidential election in Lagos, defeating the political god leader and former governor of the state, Bola Tinubu.

The LP also won the gubernatorial election in Abia state, defeating the candidate backed by incumbent Governor and ruling party in the state, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).