The Labour Party (LP) has postponed its governorship and ward primaries billed to hold between April 11 and 13.
Nneka Igwe, secretary of the state management committee, in a statement on Tuesday, said the primaries will now hold between April 13 and 15.
According to Igwe, the postponement of the primaries was ordered by the national executive council (NEC) of the party.
“I am directed to inform our party members and the general public that national executive council (NEC) of our great party has postponed the Ward Congress and Gubernatorial Primary Election earlier scheduled to hold on 11th and 13 April 2023 respectively to 13th and 15th April 2023 respectively,” the statement reads.
“All other arrangements remain the same. NEC regrets any inconveniences this change of date may cause.”
The shifting of the guber and ward primaries comes amid a leadership crisis in the LP.
On April 6, Lamidi Apapa, deputy national chairman (south) of LP, declared that he had taken charge of the affairs of the party.
The declaration came a few hours after Julius Abure, national chairman of the LP, alleged that thugs aided by police officers invaded the party’s headquarters in the federal capital territory (FCT) and caused damage to the property.
Abure claimed that the invasion was sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to destabilise the party and its challenge of the presidential election won by Bola Tinubu.
Apapa said he was not being sponsored to cause a crisis in the party, adding that his actions were in order since a court had asked Abure to step down as the chairman.
A federal capital territory (FCT) high court had on April 5 issued an order restraining Abure from parading himself as the national chairman of the LP.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo states.
According to a timetable released by the commission, elections for the three states will hold on November 11, 2023.