‘For proper planning’ — LP reps call for postponement of party’s national convention

The house of representatives caucus of the Labour Party (LP) has called for the postponement of the national convention of the party scheduled for March 27.

The convention was initially fixed to take place on March 29 but was later changed to March 27. The leadership of the party said the date was changed because the initial day falls on Good Friday, a very important date for the Christian faith all over the world.

In a statement by Afam Ogene, leader of the LP caucus, he said the national convention should be postponed for “proper planning”.

The LP caucus said the party needs more time to make proper and wider consultations and make efforts to bring every stakeholder on board, before it would go ahead with such an important party event.

“The national convention of any national political party is such an important event that ought not to be conducted without proper planning, or in a hurry,” the statement reads.

“While we acknowledge that the various challenges currently being thrown at the national leadership may have been responsible for the seemingly sloppy organization of the proposed convention, we hasten to add that the fact that many stakeholders, including my colleagues in parliament, were not carried along in the whole process leaves resentment trailing the process.

“While we agree that the 29th as earlier scheduled is not appropriate for the reasons given, we also note that 27th is not any better. Indeed, many have wondered why a national convention would seem more preferable, as against the bottom up approach of beginning congresses from the wards.

“In fact, even more fundamental is the health and sustainability of our dear party. The party has for some time now witnessed internal friction and glitches, just like every other political party in the nation. So, we in the House of Representatives, as the direct representatives of the people, are of the view that the party needs some more time to smooth the rough edges in the party leadership system and operational mechanism before the next convention.

“So, for these reasons, we respectfully call for the postponement of the national convention and the immediate activation of a consultation mechanism that would inject a healing and reinvigorating tonic in the party for a more successful and sustainable future, for the overall good of our teeming supporters and Nigeria in general.”