Otti and Obi’s Intervention in the Labour Party Can Only Be Determined by INEC – Tanko

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the only entity that has the authority to determine if the recent intervention in the party by Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State is lawful, according to prominent member of the Labour Party Yunusa Tanko.

Following Governor Otti’s involvement and that of Obi, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, a 29-person caretaker committee was established to govern the party in the interim.

The Committee will be led by Nenadi Usman, a former finance minister.

In response to a query on the intervention’s legitimacy on Monday’s Sunrise Daily on Channels Television, Tanko stated that the INEC is the only body that can make such determination.

It is up to INEC to assess the legality and issue a statement. Since they are the electoral umpire, I have no bearing on that at this time. It is better for them to make the announcement because they are aware of what the law states, Tanko stated.

Senator Darlington Nwokocha, a former Senate Deputy Minority Leader, was also named as the Secretary of the committee, which Otti called to order, and which the party officials present claimed will oversee a fresh leadership election in ninety days.

The committee also included additional members who represented a range of interest organizations, such as the NLC, TUC, Senate, House of Representatives, House of Assembly, and gubernatorial candidates in the most recent election.

The party’s leadership, led by Julius Abure, rejected the committee, claiming that Otti’s demand for a meeting was unlawful because it encouraged Nigerians to ignore the results.

The gathering was not organized by the party, thus it does not represent its viewpoint or interests, according to a statement signed by Obiora Ifoh, the press secretary.

The fact that “the so-called chairman of the caretaker committee is not a registered member of the Party” shocked the Abure camp as well. She made her appearance to support Peter Obi during his presidential campaign.