Leader and founder of the one-year-old Trinidad and Tobago Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Jack Warner has stepped down from the post to make way for former Senate Vice-President Lyndira Oudit.
Warner, 72, who served as interim leader of the ILP when the party was born last July after he was re-elected MP for Chaguanas West, (Central Trinidad), nominated Oudit for the post in last week’ internal election.
The new political leader has hinted that the ILP would be prepared to form an alliance with the Congress of the People (COP), if the San Fernando west MP Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan is elected leader of the COP in this month’s internal election.
Oudit also said the ILP would not rule out an alliance with the Kamla Persad-Bissessar led United National Congress (UNC).
However, she said the UNC needs to be “sanitized” before the ILP even considers any negotiations with the party.
Warner said the ILP “has to put a credible face” to contest the next general election (due in 2015) and build its political stocks.
He noted, “If I croak tomorrow, the party must not die. In Miss Oudit, I have found a credible person to pick up the mantle and carry on.”
Warner said the reason he decided to let Oudit stand for political leader and to contest the post of chairman had nothing to do with FIFA allegations made against him which have been around for decades.
