The National Executive Council (NEC) meeting which held at the Sulgad Hotel in Bauchi by the Bashiru Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party (LP), on Wednesday announced that the LP's presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, have been granted pardon.
This decision comes after the LP accused the duo of attending an "illegal" NEC meeting organized by the Barr Julius Abure-led faction in Asaba, Delta State capital, on April 18.
The pardon was included in a communique jointly signed by the Acting National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bashiru Lamidi Apapa, and the acting National Secretary, Alh. Saleh Lawan, was read by Mr Arabambi Abayomi, the National Publicity Secretary.
The communique also announced the pardoning of other LP members, including the Governor-elect of Abia State, Mr Alex Otti, and all LP Senators and State Assembly members who attended the Asaba meeting.
However the NEC suspended (12) of its members namely, Obiora Ifo, Kenneth Okonkwo, Pst. Mrs. Adebayo Ekong, Com. P.G. Igene, Egnr. Adeola Adebanjo, Pst. Funke Awolowo, Sam Emeka Okpala, Barr. Folusho Leigh, Folakemi Collins, Com. Olubunmi Adesanya, Lanre Adenuga and Dr. Olatubosun Oswald over what they termed as anti-party activities and unruly behavior against the party leadership which include issuing statement without authority of the party.
The LP factional leadership stated that the attendees of the Asaba meeting acted ignorantly and were in contempt of the FCT High Court's restraining order. However, the communique emphasized that the LP believes in the rule of law and will stand with its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to reclaim their "stolen mandate" at the presidential election petition tribunal.
The NEC meeting also expressed sympathy for Nigerians suffering from poverty, hunger, unemployment, insecurity, poor infrastructure, and underdevelopment caused by leadership incompetence. The LP assured Nigerians that its future federal government would change these circumstances for the better. The communique also announced the appointment of several National Working Committee members.
It is important to note that the FCT High Court had previously issued an order on April 5, restraining Julius Abure from acting as the national Chairman of the Labour Party.