It was a tug of war at the Imo State Secretariat of the Labour Party on Tuesday when party chieftains clashed over the alleged removal and replacement of some party officials.
The war was between the allegedly removed Zonal, LGA and Ward congress official and those used for their replacement in the various zones, LGAs and Wards.
Trouble started when the duly-elected officials were denied access to the venue of meeting of the LGA chairmen of the party held at the secretariat.
The old and serving chairmen upon enquiry were told that their tenure of office had elapsed.
They were also told that the National Working Committee had asked the state leadership of the party to reconstitute the LGA and Ward executives
The chairmen who could not accept the explanation, described it as false and deceptive, insisting that at no time did the national leadership of the party issue such a directive.
They however, accused the leadership of the state chapter of the party of compromising the interest of the party.
The aggrieved LGA chairmen, pointed accusing finger at the state secretary, Chief Fab Okochi, who they accused of selling the party’s offices to the highest bidders irrespective of motive or mission
They further alleged that he collected money from candidates in order to plant their loyalists into the party’s structure ahead of the 2023 governorship primary election, considering the fact that executive members are automatic delegates during primary elections
In Isiala Mbano LGA where Chief Fab Okochi comes from, the LGA and Ward Executives of the party were reportedly single-handedly reconstituted by Okochi with impunity and utter disregard to the provisions of the party’s constitution.
For the first time, the meeting which finally held was conducted amidst tension with hired bouncers to control the charged atmosphere
