The Lagos State chapter of the Labour Party is being rocked by crisis with the women’s wing in crisis.
Only on Tuesday, the state chairman of the party, Mr Kayode Salako quit his position but said later that that was to enable him focus on the House of Representatives election, which he is contesting in Oshodi/Isolo constituency 1.
Sources close to the party told Breezy News that the women’s wing of the state chapter is in trouble and many members are on the verge of decamping to one of the major parties.
This is said to be as a consequence of what insiders described as “the repressive manner the Women’s Leader, Mrs Titi Oworu and her executive members are being treated by some influential members of the party”. It is alleged that the “powers-that-be” are determined to install their stooges in leaderhip positions in the women’s wing.
At its stakeholders meeting held Ikeja on Tuesday, the party’s Working Committee in the state announced a new executive committee members for the women’s wing. But the announcement of the replacement, Hajia Aminat Usman was received with complaints by a large number of the members.
Sources said the aggrieved women are been lobbied by other parties. One of them said: “As it is, Oworu and her very strong team are ready to leave the party and go with her formidable structure. Her structure is ready to throw in the towel on all Labour Party activities. Majority of the women members are ready to leave the party to show loyalty to their principal, due to all the physical and monetary efforts Oworu has put into mobilisation and harmonisation of various structures and followership for the party, especially at the grassroots last year.
“She has been spending her personal money supported by her mobilisation team to promote the party and canvass for membership at grassroots in Lagos. There is a threat of mass protest coming up in Lagos by the aggrieved female members of the party with some ready to protest half naked”.
Another of the aggrieved women said: “This is a critical period in the life of the party to allow for mass movement other parties. It will be a huge loss to the ambition of Mr Peter Obi if the women wing is allowed to scatter at this critical period in a crucial mass populated state like Lagos.
