According to the report from the Punch, The Lamidi Apapa faction of the Labour Party has raised concerns over the appointment of an interim chairman in Gombe State by the Nigeria Labour Congress. Describing the move as unacceptable, the faction voiced its disapproval, stating that they had a substantive state chairman in place in Gombe.
Furthermore, the Julius Abure faction expressed their lack of awareness about the development and emphasized their existing leadership structure in the state.
Tensions between the NLC and the LP leadership have been mounting, culminating in accusations from the NLC against the LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, for supposedly acting as a sole administrator within the party.
Amidst the discord, the NLC's political commission, represented by National Secretary Chris Uyot, intervened by endorsing Sani Abdulsalam as the interim Chairman of the LP in Gombe. Abdulsalam, who was allegedly removed by the National Working Committee led by Julius Abure, will oversee the party's affairs until local government elections are conducted in the state.
In an official correspondence, addressed to various authorities including the Independent National Electoral Commission, Department of State Services, Gombe State Police Command, and the Secretary to the Gombe State Government, Uyot outlined the appointment of Sani Abdulsalam and highlighted the temporary nature of his role until a more permanent state transition committee is established.
However, spokesperson for the Apapa faction, Abayomi Arabambi, disavowed the appointment in a telephone interview, asserting that the NLC lacked the authority to impose individuals on the party. Arabambi emphasized that the NLC's political commission, being a pressure group, did not hold the status of a political party and warned of constitutional repercussions for their actions.