We didn’t monitor Labour Party national convention, says INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it did not monitor the national convention of the Labour Party (LP).

On Wednesday, the LP conducted its national convention at the Grand Seasons Hotel, in Nnewi, Anambra state.

Julius Abure was re-elected as chairman of the party at the convention.

However, Rotimi Oyekanmi, media aide to Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the conduct of the convention was not monitored by the electoral umpire.

Oyekanmi did not specify why INEC did not monitor the convention.

The convention was initially slated for March 29 but was later changed to March 27. The leadership of the party had said the date was changed because the initial date fell on Good Friday, a very important date for the Christian faithful across the world.

The venue was also changed from Abia to Anambra.

Speaking on the change of venue, Kehinde Edun, LP national legal adviser, said the party duly informed INEC about the changes.

“So, we are at liberty to pick any venue of our choice. We only need to inform INEC about the change in venue and the time,” Edun said.

There had been calls for the party to suspend its national convention.

On March 17, the house of representatives caucus of the LP called for the suspension of the convention to enable the party “properly plan” the event.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described Abure’s re-election as “an illegality”.

On March 16, the NLC and LP traded words over calls for the suspension of the party’s convention and resignation of Abure as chairman of the party.