11 executive members of the Labour Party (LP) in Nasarawa State have been placed on administrative leave because they participated in anti-party actions during the recently held governorship and assembly elections.
This information is found in a communiqué that was released in Lafia on Thursday and was signed by Mr. Ashime Benjamin, Assistant State Secretary, and Mr. Alex Emmanuel, Party Chairman.
According to the statement, the suspension was issued in coordination with the party’s national authority to prevent a repeat. State and local government party officials who were reportedly engaged in anti-party activities at the March 18 elections made up the suspended executive members.
“With reference to a complaint made to LP headquarters dated March 24 and the responses received, we bring to your notice that the suspended members have gone contrary to the party’s Constitution.
“They violated Article 19, Part ‘B’ of the Constitution that stipulates disciplinary measures for anti-party activities that lead to embarrassment, contempt, and ridicule of the party,’’ the statement read.
It stressed that the officials endorsed a certain political party at the just-concluded governorship election without recourse to the LP thereby ridiculing the party.
The LP recalled that when its governorship candidate, Mr Joseph Ewuga stepped down and declared his support for the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr David Ombugadu, he duly informed the party.
“In the build up to the governorship election, Ewuga stepped down for the PDP candidate and he informed the party and we communicated same to the national body of our great party,’’ the statement also read.
Those suspended included the State Secretary of the party, Mr Dahiru Abubakar, the Women Leader, Hajia Hajara Dalhatu, the Treasurer, Mr Musa Doma, and the Lafia Local Government Area party chairman, Mr Muhammad Aliyu.
Others were party chairmen in seven local government areas of the state.
The statement added that a five-man committee had been constituted to further investigate the suspended members’ activities and if found guilty would face further disciplinary action.
The committee has two weeks to conduct the assignment, it stated. (NAN)