Labour party insists on N1.3billion fraud, forgery allegations against former national chairman

macfranc007 October 10, 2017 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Aanu Adegun

- Labour party has insisted that Alhaji A.A. Salam was legally removed as the national chairman of the party

- Allegations of fraud, embezzlement, forgery and anti-party activities were leveled against the former national chairman

- The party claimed it is going through a rare process of restructuring and repositioning

The Labour party has clarified details concerning the sack of its former national chairman, Alhaji A.A. Salam who was suspended and subsequently replaced in a recent convention held in Abuja.

The party made this known in a press conference held in Abuja on Tuesday, October 10, and made available to NAIJ.com.

The party at the press conference claimed due process was followed in all their activities and insisted that the chairman was legally removed.

The party said the national working committee of the party met and reviewed the allegations of fraud, embezzlement, forgery and anti-party activities leveled against the former chairman, Alhaji A.A. Salam and a disciplinary committee was set up to give fair hearing to all sides.

It said the former chairman, treasurer, legal adviser and national vice chairman, southeast refused to appear before the committee and another requesting their response in writing was forwarded to them.

The party said the correspondence sent to the aforementioned leaders already stated that failure to appear and respond will attract consequences such as suspension from the party and removal from office.

"The national working committee later met to ratify the report of the Disciplinary Committee where it was agreed that the case of fraud and embezzlement of over 1.3 billion Naira party fund by A.A. Salam and three others be reported to appropriate security agencies.

Going further, the party in the press release claimed: "The Independent National Electoral Commission was duly informed in writing, the 21 days notice was duly given, the police was informed and all other procedures followed diligently."

"And the national convention was held on the 3rd of October, 2017. The Independent National Electoral Commission monitored, the police was present, the media and other stakeholders were present and all the laid down rules in our constitution were followed to the letter. The former chairman, Alhaji A.A Salam was suspended and removed from the party.

"A new national chairman, Dr Mike Omotosho emerged in the convention. Having witnessed the process, we are now waiting for INEC to ratify the convention.

The labour party also claimed that the ousted national chairman agreed to the call for a national convention but backed down when he got to know that the convention will not favour him.

"It is also worthy to state clearly that according to our party’s constitution approved by INEC, the 2009 constitution, Article 14 states clearly that only the National Secretary is empowered to issue notices of meeting of National Convention, National Working Committee and the National Executive Council. Any other correspondence by any official other than the Party’s Secretary is null and void.

"It is also pertinent to put on record that the national working committee met with the former national chairman A A Salam and agreed to call for a special national convention only for him to make a somersault after the acting national secretary had issued the relevant notice to INEC suspecting that the convention will not be in his favour.

The party also accused the former chairman of forging the signature of the national secretary.

It said the case of forgery and theft of over 1.3 billion naira against the former chairman has now reached an advanced stage, as the police has officially picked him up.

The party also said it's going through a rare process of restructuring and repositioning.

"Our party is going through a rare process of restructuring and repositioning. A committee was set up for the initial review of the state of affairs of the party, the report shall be submitted any moment from now and Nigeria shall start seeing a new Labour Party that will be the face of the masses and the government in waiting by God’s grace," the labour party said.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that Mike Omotosho, a former governor of Rotary International on Tuesday, October 3, emerged as the new chairman of LP while Abudulkadir AbdulSalam, the former chairman, was sacked.

APC is the worst party in Nigeria, I regret being a member - on NAIJ.com TV.