LP suspends youth leader for alleged forgery, others

The leadership of Labour Party (LP) has suspended its National Youth Leader, Anslem Eragbe, for six months over allegations bordering on forgery, opening of an illegal donation website and acts of insubordination.

The national youth leader’s suspension was contained in a letter in Abuja by LP National Secretary, Umar Ibrahim on Friday.

It reads: “You may wish to recall that on the 14th of October, 2022. The National Working Committee of the party met and has among other matters deliberated on the allegations of misconduct labelled against you as the National Youth Leader of the Labour Party. A disciplinary committee was constituted to look into your matter and report to the National Chairman.

“Consequently, the committee has submitted its reports to the National Chairman with its recommendations in accordance with the party’s constitution as Amended (2019).

“In compliance with the party’s constitution, as Amended, (2019) and the committee’s recommendations, you are hereby suspended from your duties as the National Youth Leader of the Labour Party for a period of 6 (six) months, with effect from 18th October 2022. The relevant organs of the party will within the period, meet to ratify the full recommendations of the disciplinary committee.

“You are advised to surrender all party’s documents and materials in your possession to the undersigned.”

Hours after his suspension, Anslem was replaced by Prince Kennedy Ahanotu, who is expected to act as Acting National Youth Leader of the party.

A statement on Friday morning by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Arabambi, accused Anslem of forging the chairman’s signature to execute some unofficial tasks and launching of a phoney donation site among others.

Arabambi stated that the need to clarify the suspended youth leader’s ‘alleged misconduct’ claim was necessitated by his denial and innumerable calls received by the secretariat to know his actual ‘sins.’

He said: “As requested, some of the offences of the suspended National Youth Leader include: Forging the signature of the National Chairman and National Secretary with which he carried out unofficial assignments.

“He issued certificates to groups unknown to the leadership of the party without the approval of the National Working Committee or the National Chairman.

“He launched a fund mobilisation website to receive funds without the approval of the National Working Committee or the National Chairman and he wrote several letters to some individuals without the approval of the National Working Committee or the National Chairman.”