The Labour Party (LP) on Saturday denied reports, claiming that it appointed Mr Charles Odibo as its spokesperson.
The party in a statement issued by National Publicity Secretary, Arabambi Abayomi said the Labour Party has not made such appointment, adding that should the party do so it would be approved by the National Chairman.
Reports emerged suggesting that Odibo had been appointed as the Spokesman of the Labour Party. The reports were fuelled by a pronouncement of Prof. Pat Utomi.
Utomi who is the leader of the National Consultative Front (NCF), a strong affiliate of the LP, had introduced Odibo as the Media Head of the “Big Tent.” However, the statement was misinterpreted by some section of the media.
Clarifing the pronouncement, Abayomi in the statement said NCF had no constitutional power to make appointments for the party.
The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to the news intercepted through multiple news medium that one Mr Charles Odibo has been appointed as the Spokesman of Labour Party by Prof. Pat Utomi.
”It is not undisputed that LP has not made such an appointment since Utomi who is the leader of NCF cannot usurp the function of the National Chairman.
“For the records, Utomi who is the leader of the NCF, a strong affiliate of the LP, while in a zoom meeting introduced Charles Odibo as the Media Head of the “Big Tent”, an acronym for the NCF and No mention of LP was made on that platform.
“All appointments by the LP are made through the office of the national chairman and announcement made by the National Publicity Secretary under the directive of the national chairman, he said.
According to Abayomi, for emphasis and clarity: Article 14 sub section 1(a) of the Labour Party constitution states as follows;
”The national chairman shall give leadership to the party and shall preside over all meetings of the National Executive Council and the National Working Committee of the party.
“LP now uses this opportunity to say the LP is guided by the constitution in all its activities.
”As such, all members of the party as well as interested members of the public presently in LP should from here on, take serious caution that the function of the national chairman as head of LP is not in question.”
