A new 25-person Caretaker Committee was established by the National Leadership of the Labour Party (LP) on Wednesday to oversee party operations in Lagos State. The committee will succeed the Caretaker Committee that was previously in place.
While Mr. Akingbade Oyelekan, the LP National Legal Adviser, was inaugurating the committee at the party’s secretariat in Ikeja, he made an appeal for the party to come together and work hard in order to tackle the upcoming responsibilities and challenges.
Oyelekan stated that the newly inaugurated committee led by Pastor Dayo Ekong was inclusive and had received appropriate approval from the LP National Working Committee (NWC), which is led by Mr. Julius Abure.
“We have a very new set of people who are vibrant and committed to taking the business of Labour Party beyond where it is now. For the first time in LP, the party is fully gender sensitive.
“We believe in the capacity of the Ekong-led committee.
“I want to state that no other executive exists outside what we are inaugurating here today. The Ekong-led executive is the authentic LP.
“Any other acclaimed faction is illegal, we no longer have factions in the Lagos State Executive of our party,” Oyelekan said.
According to him, Lagos remains the LP’s core base; therefore, the party must set its affairs in order in the state and promote itself effectively in order to win the upcoming elections.
“The party is ready for the task ahead. Before now, the narrative was that we don’t have structure but the structure is all over the world now for those who can see, LP has come to stay.
“Our appeal to all our teeming supporters out there is to go and work because we want to win 100 per cent in Lagos state,” he said.
Oyelekan, who gave the Oath of Allegiance on behalf of the committee, identified other members, including Pastor Lanre Adenuga and Dr. Olatunbosun Oswald (Deputy Chairmen), and Mr. Igene Ayere, Pastor Funke Awolowo, Mr. Daud Yusuf, and Mr. Tony Masha (Zonal Deputy Chairmen).
Mrs. Olubunmi Odesanya (Publicity Secretary), Lady Jennifer Ukachi (Treasurer), Lady Chinwe Chinwego (Financial Secretary), Laura Ogunsola (Organising Secretary), Ebuka Morah (Auditor), and Abass Ibrahim (Auditor) were also members of the committee (Legal Adviser).
Others were Hajia Amina Usman (leader of women), Abiodun Okubena (leader of youth), Mrs. Olabisi Osungboye (vice-leader of women), Mrs. Toyin Shokunbi (vice-leader of women), and Mrs. Jane Nwaoguala (vice-leader of women).
Oyelekan stated that the inauguration of the new committee was necessary due to the end of the previous caretaker committee’s term and the urgent necessity to reposition the party for effective service.
He stated that committee members were expected to give excellent leadership to guarantee membership drive growth and development.
In her remarks, Ekong, who thanked the LP NWC for recognising her and her team as deserving of the position, vowed not to disappoint the party and its numerous followers.
“I want to assure you that peace will reign in Lagos LP. We are ready to work and our work will speak for us, and this will lead us to victory for our Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi and other candidates and they will be sworn in.
“There is hope for a good tomorrow for Nigeria. The unity which was missing in LP is here and it has come to stay,” Ekong said.
She promised her allegiance and entire focus to ensure that the LP become the dominant political party in the state.
Ekong, assuring young people of a brighter future with Peter Obi, stated, “Obi will offer you the long-awaited hope. LP would provide hope to every frustrated Nigerian. LP will make Nigeria work.
“All Nigerians who have gone away to other climes will be looking forward to coming back home when Obi emerges.”
She encouraged political actors and their supporters in the state of Lagos to cease the alleged harassment of LP supporters.
Regarding some acclaimed factions, she stated that the committee has put in place mechanisms to unite the house and allow everyone to work cooperatively.
“Everything is being put in place for us to have a unified house, we will reach out to others and settle all things in-house,” she said.
