Labour Party expels former state chairman, ors

* suspends 10 Chapter Chairmen

BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

The State Working Committee of Labour Party  (LP) in Akwa Ibom State has expelled a former State Chairman of the party, Comrade Lincoln Charles for being involved in anti-party activities.

 Also expelled are: former State Deputy Chairman, Apostle Simon Okokere, former State Secretary, Comrade Inemesit Akpan, former Deputy Women Leader, Mrs. Emem Johnson and former State Youth Leader, Comrade Godwin Akpan.

In a release jointly signed by the State Chairman of Labour Party, Prof. Ekeng Anam-Ndu and State Secretary, Elder Utip Etiebet and made available to THE INK, the affected former EXCO members of the party who were investigated and found guilty of anti-party activities and display of unnecessary impunity to breaches of the party’s constitution and were suspended as well as expelled from the party with immediate effect.

Also, the party has suspended ten Chapter Chairmen as well as relieves them of their current position of responsibilities. There are: Mr. Micheal Okon John, Abak, Mr. Iko Obong Idio, Ika, Mr. Pius Umoh, Okobo, Mr. Samuel Edaha, Oron, Mr. Matthew Anwanakak, Mbo, Mr. Etim John Joshua, Urue Offong/Oruko, Mr. Etim Okon Obiosio, Udung Uko, Mr. Owuri Ekikor, Ini, Mr. Anietie Joseph, Uruan and Apostle Kingdom Bassey, Essien Udim Local Government Areas, while Mr. Samuel Akpan is the Chapter Secretary, Uruk Anam LGA.

According the release, the State Working Committee and the State Executive Council of the party met on April 25, 2015 to appraise the state of the party, the outcome of the miscarriage and fraudulent election of April 11, 2015 and the activities of some party members.

THE INK gathered from the release that major decisions taken at the meeting was to challenge the outcome of the fraudulent and miscarriage so-called election of April 11, 2015 at the tribunal, a process that is on-going.

The release reads in parts “Also of note was our decision to set up a seven man disciplinary committee to investigate the inglorious and unpopular view of some of our infamous members, the committee has long submitted their report to us. The State Executive Council in liaison with our Abuja National Headquarters in Abuja have decided to expel and suspend some party members in line with the relevant sections of our constitution who were involved in anti-party activities.” 

“Accordingly, the general public is hereby advised to be cautious in dealing with these names especially as it concerns our great party, the Labour Party. They are no more our party members and should not be seen as representing the party anywhere. Anyone dealing with them in the name of our party does so at his/her own risk.”     

                 
Addressing members of the party at Senator Helen Esuene Campaign office at Udo-Udoma Avenue, Uyo, last Saturday, the Deputy National Chairman of Labour Party in-charge of South, Chief Callistus Ukafor said the party at the National level is disappointed at the unacceptable act of some former EXCO members led by Comrade Lincoln Charles who collected money and sold the party by congratulating the PDP candidate, Mr. Udom Emmauel, an act, which he said was against the party’s constitution. He commended some of the Chapter Chairmen who were present at the meeting but were not moved by money that was shared at the end of the meeting, but rather reported it to the State Working Committee of the party.

Chief Ukafor promised those who were at the meeting but refused collecting the money, that good rewards await them as soon as the party wins at the election tribunal and take the government of Akwa Ibom State.

 The Deputy National Chairman further said he was sent by the National Chairman to come the State and perform the following; in his words “All the former State Executive Council of the party that were dissolved, henceforth; they are no more members of the Labour Party, anybody that do any transaction with them is doing so at his or her own risk. Furthermore, the Chapter Chairmen that their names appeared on this press release, by the power conferred in as the Deputy National Chairman, South, I hereby say that this people remain suspended till further notice, henceforth; in the affected Local Governments Areas, nobody will associate with them and I empower the State Working Committee to set up a caretaker committees in this Local Governments Areas immediately, the caretaker committees are to take over the day to day activities of Labour Party in this LGAs.” He said.

He vowed that Labour Party at the National level will challenge the outcome of the general elections at the tribunal court. He used the opportunity to thank members of the party who stood by the party during and after the elections.

Explaining further, the State Secretary of Labour Party, Elder Utip Etiebet said the party had convened an emergency state council meeting recently where the just concluded general election in the state was reviewed. In the meeting, Elder Etiebet said report was brought by some Chapter Chairmen of the party that a certain meeting was held in Abak Local Government Area on April 23, 2015 in the residence of a former State Secretary, Comrade Inemesit Akpan.
He said the party had set up an investigative panel to look into the level of indiscipline and unnecessary impunity displayed by some of her members.

Elder Etiebet noted that the affected party members were involved in anti-party activities during the just concluded Governorship and House of Assembly election. He said the disciplinary panel in their report had noted that the expelled members were actually involved in convening a meeting where decision was taken to accept the outcome of the elections in the state and that the same set of people also urged party members as well as the party’s governor candidate, Senator Helen Esuene to accept the outcome of the election.

Etiebiet noted that based on the committee’s report and party’s willingness to position the party on a better side, the State Executive of Council agreed on the committee’s report that the people mentioned in the report be expelled and suspend from party.