The Labour Party (LP) faction led by Julius Abure has accused its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, of orchestrating a plot to seize control of the party’s leadership structure for personal political gain.
In a statement on Thursday, LP National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, described a recent National Executive Council (NEC) meeting convened by Obi and Otti in Abuja as “illegal” and a violation of the party’s constitution.
He claimed the duo is working to destabilize the party’s leadership and undermine its internal democratic processes.
“At the end of their illegal meeting in Abuja, Obi led other party outlaws to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in an attempt to pressure the Commission to take unlawful action against the party leadership,” Ibrahim said.
He questioned the urgency of their visit to INEC, saying, “If the Supreme Court ruling truly supports them, why the rush to INEC to exert undue influence?”
Ibrahim also alleged that Obi and Otti offered a “soft landing” to National Chairman Julius Abure, proposing to elevate him to Chairman of the Board of Trustees—an offer that was rejected.
“Abure did not appoint himself chairman. It’s not about personalities; it’s about the supremacy of party organs and adherence to due process,” he stated.
He further warned that attempts to offer political patronage in exchange for structural control undermined the essence of internal democracy and good governance.
He said: “This sort of arbitrary behaviour is partly responsible for the poor state of governance in Nigeria.”
The LP Secretary alleged that the Abuja meeting included threats and plans to forcefully reclaim the party’s leadership—a move he described as “desperate” and unlawful.
Referencing a similar position from Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, who has threatened to picket LP offices across the country, Ibrahim added, “Our response to Obi, Otti, and other renegades is clear: their plans amount to self-help. If they believe the law is on their side, they should follow due process.”
He maintained that only the National Secretary, in consultation with the National Chairman, is authorized to convene NEC meetings, a position upheld by a recent Supreme Court ruling.
“Obi and Otti lack the constitutional authority to convene such a meeting. Therefore, both the meeting and its resolutions are null and void,” he said.
The statement also dismissed the list of attendees circulated ahead of the meeting—which reportedly included the 2023 vice-presidential candidate, members of a so-called “National Caretaker Committee,” lawmakers, and representatives of the NLC and TUC—as illegitimate.
“There is no provision for a ‘National Caretaker Committee’ in our constitution. Nor can a governor or a former presidential candidate unilaterally summon a NEC meeting,” Ibrahim insisted.
