The internal crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) took a dramatic turn on Wednesday as Honourable Afam Ogene, leader of the party’s caucus in the House of Representatives, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of covertly supporting Julius Abure to destabilize the opposition.
Ogene made the claim while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he also declared that Abure’s tenure as National Chairman had effectively ended following a recent Supreme Court judgment.
Abure Can Recontest, But Must Follow Due Process
“The judgment clearly shows Abure has been sacked. However, he’s free to contest again through the proper channels when internal party structures are in place, starting from the ward level,” Ogene stated.
Despite the court’s ruling, Abure has clung to power, sparking intensified wrangling within the party. Earlier on Wednesday, prominent LP leaders, including 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, endorsed the formation of a caretaker committee chaired by former Finance Minister Senator Nenadi Usman to assume leadership.
Parallel Claims Emerge Over Supreme Court Ruling
The conflicting interpretations of the court’s verdict have led to parallel leadership claims, with both camps insisting the ruling favoured their stance.
Meanwhile, the Abure-led faction remains in control of the party’s national secretariat, but Ogene asserted that this will soon change. “We are committed to following due process and will reclaim the secretariat in a matter of days,” he said.
NEC Meeting Solidifies Caretaker Committee Leadership
The party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, was attended by key figures including Obi, his running mate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Governor Otti, and Labour Party lawmakers from both chambers of the National Assembly.
As the leadership dispute escalates, party faithful and political observers watch closely to see whether the LP can navigate its internal turbulence without fracturing further ahead of the next election cycle
