Nasarawa LP chair dismisses ‘interim management’ rumours

The Chairman of the Labour Party in Nasarawa State, Alexander Ombugu, has dismissed rumours alleging the existence of an interim management committee for the party at the national and state levels.

Ombugu described the claims as false, misleading and alien to the Labour Party’s constitution, stressing that the party does not recognise any structure known as an “interim management”.

He made the clarification on Tuesday during a press conference in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, while addressing journalists on recent developments within the party.

According to him, individuals promoting the narrative neither belong to the Labour Party nor are they card-carrying or financially registered members, noting that their actions were attempts to seek illegitimate relevance.

“There is no provision for any interim management in the Labour Party constitution. It is strange and unfortunate that people who have no relationship with the party whatsoever are attempting to impose such an idea,” Ombugu said.

He explained that some politicians who do not have the party’s interest at heart had been spreading the rumours on social media, falsely claiming that an interim committee had been constituted to oversee the party’s affairs pending the resolution of internal issues.

Ombugu maintained that the structures of the Labour Party remained intact nationwide, adding that the party recently conducted congresses across the federation, including Nasarawa State, where duly elected executives emerged to steer the party’s affairs for a four-year term.

He listed the newly elected executives in Nasarawa State as Alexander Ombugu (Chairman), Bulus Sakks (Secretary), Esther Arishi (Treasurer), Isiaka Okpu (Financial Secretary), Ablaku Anthony (Public Relations Officer), Emmanuel Ayaka (Auditor) and Hanatu Giwa (Women Leader), among others.

The state chairman also disclosed that the congresses were conducted through a consensus arrangement and were fully approved by the party’s national leadership and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“All these rumours started shortly after the successful conduct of congresses across the states. In Nasarawa State, INEC fully monitored the process.

“The Acting Head of the Department of Election and Political Party Monitoring, Mohammed Hamza, was present and he expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the elections,” he stated.

Ombugu questioned the origin of the interim management narrative, insisting that those behind it were neither recognised by the Labour Party nor by INEC.

“If these individuals do not have a copy of our constitution, they can approach me and I will gladly share a soft copy for them to study,” he added.

The Nasarawa LP chairman warned party members, supporters and the general public to be wary of those spreading misinformation, cautioning that anyone who associates or engages with them, financially or otherwise, does so at their own risk.

“They are not members of the Labour Party. Anyone who enters into dealings with them is acting contrary to the party’s constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he warned.

Ombugu reaffirmed the support of the Nasarawa State Labour Party executives for the National Chairman, Julius Abure, the National Secretary, Farooq Ibrahim Umar, and the entire National Working Committee.

He emphasised that there was no faction within the Labour Party, assuring the National Working Committee of the loyalty and solidarity of the state leadership in both good and challenging times.

The chairman called on security agencies and relevant authorities to remain vigilant and take appropriate action against individuals attempting to cause confusion and disunity within the party, urging that offenders be arrested and prosecuted to deter others.

He, however, encouraged aggrieved members with genuine concerns to channel their grievances through appropriate party leadership structures at the national and state levels to ensure internal resolution and unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“The Labour Party is a family, and a family must remain united. Anyone operating outside the party’s constitution is clearly working against the party,” he concluded.