The internal crisis within the Labour Party (LP) took a new turn on Tuesday as the faction led by Julius Abure issued a stern warning to the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, accusing him of blackmail and misinformation.
In a statement signed by the faction’s National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the Abure-led group responded to comments made by Obi during an interview on Arise Television on Monday. Obi had alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government had infiltrated the LP leadership to engineer division and crisis within the party.
However, the Abure camp swiftly dismissed Obi’s claims, describing them as baseless and lacking in evidence. According to the statement, the crisis in the party is not a product of external interference, but rather the result of internal sabotage allegedly orchestrated by Obi himself and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, who is currently under suspension for anti-party activities.
“The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party was called to an interview on Monday granted by the party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, wherein he alleged that the APC-led Federal Government has infiltrated the leadership of the Labour Party and is fomenting crisis. But when asked to produce evidence, Obi could not present any tangible proof,” the statement read.
The faction further accused Obi of consistently misleading Nigerians on the root cause of the party’s internal conflict. It urged him to reflect on his actions and stop what it called a “deliberate misrepresentation of facts.”
“We challenge Mr. Obi to present any form of evidence—tangible or otherwise—linking the Abure leadership of the Labour Party with the APC-led government,” the statement declared.
The group went on to assert that the Labour Party would not be forming an alliance with any political party, despite suggestions to the contrary. It emphasized that the party stood firmly behind Obi and Otti throughout the 2023 general election, but expected accountability and leadership from those it supported.
“Obi failed in providing the necessary leadership for the party. Nobody is infallible, and true leaders must be willing to accept responsibility when they fall short. It’s time for him to own up to his mistakes,” the statement concluded.
The latest development underscores growing tension within the LP, as various factions struggle for control ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Comments