There is an uneasy calm in the Edo State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) as two chairmen lay claims to the party’s chairmanship position in the state.
The two chairmen are Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi and Elizabeth Ativie, the former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly.
Recall that Elizabeth Ativie was recently inaugurated as the new Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in Benin City by the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi.
While administering the oath of office to the members of the newly elected executive of the party, Dr Olorunfemi said the new leadership of the party in the state came on board due to the expiration of the tenure of the Ogbaloi-led executive council, which ended in April 2024.
He said the new party leadership in the state is expected to take charge of the party’s affairs pending a fresh congress to elect a new executive in the state.
He said the party decided to appoint Rt. Hon. Mrs Elizabeth Ativie is the State Chairman of the Caretaker Committee due to her positive and result-oriented track records in all her political positions so far.
He called for party unity and assured that the party would be more united in the state with Hon. Ativie.
The Statement reads, “In line with the letter signed by the party’s National Chairman, Barr. Julius Abure informed reporters that the new party executive in Edo State is expected to work with the party’s governorship candidate, Barr. Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata, towards ensuring victory in the governorship election coming up on 21 September 2024.
Responding, the state party’s Caretaker Committee chairman, Rt. Hon. Elizabeth Ativie, promised to move the party to a higher level.
She vowed to reconcile all aggrieved parties and added that a reconciliation team would be formed to resolve all pending issues.
However, the drama started when the Head of the Department of Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Mr Timidi Wariowe, asked the leadership of the various political parties present to introduce themselves before the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who was in Benin City to ascertain the level of damage done by the flood last Friday that submerged the commission facilities in the state.
Fortunately for Elizabeth Ativie, the microphone got to her first. She introduced herself as the chairman of the party.
She, however, passed the microphone to the next person close to her, who happens to be Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi, who also introduced himself as the chairman of the party.
This scenario, however, confused the people as they tried to figure out who the authentic chairman of the party was, and they crowned it with uncontrollable laughter.
Observing the confusion caused by the Labour Party officials, the Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, advised that the party should try to put its house in order.
However, both chairmen made valid contributions to the meeting, which the commission called.
© The Standard Gazette