Labour Party internal crisis deepens, suspends House of Rep member for three months

The Labour Party’s Ojo Chapter in Lagos has suspended Seyi Sowunmi, the lawmaker representing Ojo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, for three months.

The suspension was announced on Wednesday in a statement signed by Oluwanifemi Elegbede, the Chairman of the Ojo Labour Party, and Blessing Okafor, the party’s Secretary.

According to the party officials, the suspension was informed by Sowunmi’s refusal to comply with a summons to appear before the party’s disciplinary panel within 24 hours.

They said the panel had requested Sowunmi’s presence on August 26, 2024, to address various concerns, but neither the lawmaker nor his office responded within the given timeframe.

In the statement, the party leadership described Sowunmi’s actions as a clear case of insubordination.

“Your refusal to appear before the disciplinary committee as requested in the summons shows gross insubordination to the party,” the statement read, referencing Article 20(B3) of the party’s constitution.

Additionally, the Labour Party accused Sowunmi of not participating in ward meetings and being unregistered in the wards he claims to represent. Both Ward A and Ward D of Ojo Local Government Area (LGA) sent letters to the party leadership, confirming that Sowunmi was not a registered member of their wards, which is a violation of Article 20(B5) of the party constitution.

The party also cited Sowunmi’s refusal to collaborate with existing leadership at all levels and his attempts to remove party leadership without following proper procedures as further grounds for suspension.

According to the Labour Party’s constitution, such actions violate Article 20(B7).

“Moreover, Sowunmi’s decision to take the party to court without first exhausting all internal dispute resolution mechanisms was another significant factor leading to his suspension.

“Following these findings, the disciplinary committee recommended that Sowunmi be suspended for three months, a decision that was promptly enacted by the party’s Ojo Chapter.

“The suspension takes immediate effect,” the statement concluded.