LP suspends former chairman, five others in Lagos

The Lagos State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has suspended indefinitely its immediate past chairman, Olukayode Salako, and five other leaders of the party in the state.

It was gathered that the State Secretary of the party, Sam Okpala, made the disclosure on Thursday during a press conference at the party’s Secretariat, Ikeja GRA.

According to him, Salako and the other officers were suspended because of alleged anti-party activities.

It was gathered that those affected include Hon. Moshood Adegoke Salvador, Mr Opeyemi Taiwo, Mr Olumide Adesoyin, Hon. Mutiu Kunle Okunola and Mr Theodore Ezeunara, while he said the seventh person, Surveyor Olasunbo Onitiri, had his resignation letter accepted by the party, having shown evidence that he had since left Labour Party.

He said the decision was arrived at the following the conclusion of deliberation on the report of the disciplinary committee set up to look into the matter by the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party.

Okpala said that seven affected officials of the party were charged before the disciplinary committee, but only six were listed for indefinite suspension, having been given fair hearing to defend themselves.

Speaking about the situation of the party’s national chairman, Okpala noted that the Lagos State chapter is strongly in support of the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, declaring that he remained the national chairman of the opposition party.

Okpala, who spoke against the background of the verdict by the Abuja High Court, said the support was in view of the immense contributions made by Abure to the success of the Labour Party both in the February 24 Presidential/National Assembly polls and the March 14 Governorship/State House of Assembly Elections.

He added that “We acknowledged the immense contributions by our national chairman, this is a party that people say has no national and state structures, that it is only on social media. This is a party that has produced one governor-elect, senators-elect and several lawmakers-elect through the immense contributions of our national chairman.”