It was another drama on Monday as the National Executive Council (NEC) led by the embattled national chairman of the Labour Party withdrew the unsolicited 2027 presidential and governorship election tickets it issued to Peter Obi and Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State.
This development comes after the party convention held in March 2023 at Nnewi, where both leaders were initially endorsed as the party’s sole candidates for their respective offices in the next elections even when the duo boycotted the event.
The decision to endorse Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, and Otti, for a second term as governor, was met with criticism within party ranks and outside.
Many observers perceived it as an attempt to secure their loyalty to the controversial convention, which was reportedly disowned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Both Obi and Otti boycotted the Nnewi convention, after they urged the party’s leadership under Julius Abure to consult more widely with stakeholders before making such key decisions.
Despite this, the NEC pushed forward, but the party has since been grappling with challenges, including INEC’s refusal to recognize its current leadership, whose tenure expired in June 2024.
Following this leadership crisis, Governor Otti convened a stakeholders’ meeting, resulting in the appointment of Nenadi Usman and 28 others as a caretaker committee for the Labour Party. However, the NEC, led by Chairman Julius Abure, rejected this move, citing the party’s constitution, which grants the National Secretary—under the Chairman’s approval—the sole authority to call such meetings.
In a NEC meeting held on Monday, the party denounced the Abia summit as illegal and nullified its outcomes. A communiqué read by Deputy National Secretary Innocent Okeke reaffirmed that there is no leadership vacuum in the party and urged INEC to stop “aiding and abetting” Otti against Labour Party interests.
During the meeting, the NEC also set up a disciplinary committee to address anti-party activities and review ongoing reconciliation efforts. Addressing the press, embattled Abure condemned what he described as divisive actions by both Obi and Otti, accusing them of attempting to undermine party unity.
Abure criticized the unauthorized summit in Abia, labeling it a betrayal of the party’s principles. He called on Labour Party members to stand firm and reject any attempts at creating division, stressing the need for solidarity within the party as it prepares for future elections.
Responding to allegations made by Otti about INEC’s involvement in party affairs, Abure clarified that the responsibility for uploading polling unit agents during the Edo and Ondo elections was transferred to Barrister Olumide Akpata.
He also dismissed Otti’s claims about a Supreme Court judgment affecting the party’s candidates for 2027, challenging him to provide evidence of such a ruling.
Abure further addressed accusations of financial mismanagement during Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign. He clarified that campaign funds were handled independently, with regional coordinators and the presidential candidate overseeing the disbursement of funds.
Donations were channeled to separate accounts managed by Aisha Yesufu and Pastor Itua Ighodalo, making it misleading to blame the party for any alleged mismanagement.
Concluding his address, Abure vowed to defend the party’s mandate and steer it through the current challenges, reaffirming his commitment to building a united and strong Labour Party for the future.