The ongoing Labour Party crisis if not resolved speedily may have negative implications for the presidential aspirations of Mr. Peter Obi, who transformed the hitherto un-fancied platform into a formidable party that swept many states, including Lagos, in the presidential election, and produced a governor and several national assembly members.
The party seems to be bursting at the seams, wracked by a slew of internal crisis. Matters came to a head a fortnight ago when the embattled chairman, Mr. Julius Abure, purportedly held a national convention, which reelected as chairman, which practically torn the party apart, as disaffected members challenged the action.
Last week, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, disowned the alleged convention since it neither received notice of it nor was represented at the meeting. For any action concerning the election of party officers, INEC must be notified in writing and also invited to observe it’s conduct. None of this was done by the Abure group in holding the election.
A couple of weeks ago, the internal convulsions in the party went for the kill, when the National Treasurer of the party, Mrs. Oluchi Oparah demanded accountability and transparency from its embattled National Chairman, Julius Abure in the usage of funds.
Recall that Oparah pointedly accused Abure of alleged misappropriation of part of the N3.5 billion raised from the sale of nomination forms during the 2023 general elections, saying he only declared N55 million.
But in a swift response, Abure through the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, said Oparah decided to fight dirty after her wish to be settled and “cash out” was rejected.
According to him, Oparah “is certainly under some external influences”, as the Labour Party had not earned N3.5 billion as claimed, neither had Abure embezzled any money that belongs to the party as alleged.
Oparah had at a press conference in Abuja also alleged that the LP chairman bought some properties in Nigeria and abroad between 2022 and 2023.
She said, “Under Mr. Abure’s watch, over N3.5 billion was raised from the sale of nomination forms for the 2023 general elections. However, apart from the proceeds of the sale of forms from his home state of Edo – which was diverted to Mr. Abure’s private accounts, he only declared N55 million to me as Treasurer, of the over N3.5 billion raised, pocketing the rest for himself.
“In conclusion, I reiterate my demand for Mr. Abure to fully account for every Naira and Dollar raised under his tenure. Nothing less than full transparency and accountability will suffice.”
Shortly after Oparah’s revelation, the state chairmen of the party passed a vote of confidence on the national chairman and other executive members of the party.
Ironically, the endorsement and vote of confidence on Abure’s leadership came barely three days after another group, claiming to be chairmen of the party in the 36 states, passed a vote of no confidence on Abure, and asked him to step down with immediate effect following the allegation by the party’s erstwhile national treasurer Oluchi Oparah that Abure misappropriating N3.5 billion.
The Plateau State chairman of the party, Comrade Solomon Ndam, had read the position of the group, which claimed to be party chairmen at a press briefing held in Bauchi State over the weekend.
But in a counter move, the Abia State chairman of the party, Honorable Ceekay Igara, who spoke for the group that met at the party secretariat in Abuja, said they are satisfied with Abure’s leadership of the party, adding that they “ have passed a vote of confidence” on Abure and his executive.
“We thank them for being true patriots and we pray the posterity will be kind to them for all the sacrifices they are making to salvage this nation at huge price they are paying now.”
As the festering crisis in the party continues unabated, the political future of Peter Obi to further his presidential ambition using the party seems in jeopardy, although the Party leadership has declared that it has reserved its 2027 Presidential ticket for him, who is the National leader, however, Obi’s supporters still fear for the party’s future.
Many ‘ Obidients, who spoke with Business Hallmark expressed doubts about the viability of Obi using the party to realise his presidential ambition given the multiple crises bedeviling it. Many people also wonder how Obi could be leading a party that is enmeshed in so much crisis without any attempt to intervene. Although, he had promised to resolve the issues at it’s early stage, but the horse seems to have already bolted. It remains to be seen how he could manage the different factions now contending for control.
National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, who secured a controversial second term at the party’s National Convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, is having an uphill task convincing stakeholders, especially the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), that the convention followed proper procedure.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had, through the Spokesperson to the INEC National Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, disowned the convention.
According to Section 85 (1) of the Electoral Act (2010) as amended, all registered political parties are mandated to give the commission at least 21 days notice before holding a convention.
INEC is also empowered by the Electoral Act of 2022 in Article 82.—(2) which states: “The Commission may, with or without prior notice to the political party attend and observe any convention, congress, conference or meeting, which is convened by a political party for the purpose of (a) electing members of its executive committees or other governing bodies”
However, while INEC has declared that LP failed to comply with its rules, the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC), insists it complied fully. National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, told journalists that the party under Abure will remain law abiding.
He said, “Our National Chairman is a lawyer by training. He ensures that everything we do as a party is in line with our Constitution, the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines. We duly notified INEC months before our last convention, we have evidence to prove this.”
Sources familiar with the internal wranglings in the party told Business Hallmark that aggrieved party members are preparing a legal challenge to what they called Abure’s convention.
Feelers from a critical mass within the party indicate a growing discontent with the unfolding events.
The Obidient Movement, a group of ardent supporters of Mr. Peter Obi, who boast membership across party lines, are said to be considering other options should the LP platform become “unavailable” for Obi to actualize his presidential ambition come 2027.
Attempts by some “Obidients” to make inroads into the mainstream LP have so far been rebuffed according to insiders, who spoke under the condition of anonymity with this medium.
A source told Business Hallmark that “Some of us knew what happened in 2023. Funds were raised and sent out to states for logistics but traditional politicians within the party did what they know how to do best with such funds. We had embarrassing situations,
where agents, who were largely volunteers couldn’t get ‘pure’ (satchet) water to drink even when we made provision, it was that bad. We can’t have a repeat of this, that’s why we are demanding accountability from the party leadership”.
Already, Obi has given the biggest hint yet about the possibility of him dumping the party ahead of the 2027 election season. He said this during an engagement with his supporters on his Verified X space, hosted by Parallel Facts recently.
The former Amambra State Governor explained that his primary focus, which committed members of the Obidient Movement have bought into; is all about making Nigeria work for all citizens; as such, he refuses to be distracted. According to him, the contrived crisis in the Labour Party was part of a distractive strategy, which neither he nor his supporters were willing to fall for.
Obi said, “Our engagement is about Nigeria, they are trying to change our focus. What we want to do is not about Labour Party; it is about what the Obidients want to do about Nigeria.
“We are thinking about water, we are thinking about power, we are thinking about employment, thinking about security. That should be our focus.
“The other matters we will deal with. We were somewhere, we didn’t start with Labour.
“That will not stop what we set out to do. We will try to change them (LP), if we can’t, we will leave them; we will not die with them.”
In spite of all this, Obi has however, reaffirmed his membership of the party, explaining that he did not attend its National Convention because its national chairman, Julius Abure did not embark on wide consultation before the exercise.
Recall that the Director General of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation in the 2023 elections, Akin Osuntokun, recently stated that the absence of Obi, members of the National Assembly, and other strategic stakeholders of the party at the recently concluded National Convention of the party at Nnewi in Anambra State was an indication of the non-acceptability of the convention.
The controversial national convention conducted in Nnewi, Anambra State, which re-elected Abure as its national chairman was the last straw that scattered the shreds of peace left in the party.
Obi and the only governor on the party’s platform, Alex Otti of Abia State did not attend the convention.
He stressed the need for the right thing to be done to salvage the party, adding that he is more passionate about building a new Nigeria than building a new Labour Party.
Speaking on the crisis in the party and Obi’s chances, Prof. Eniola Abereoran, a political scientist, told Business Hallmark that “Without Obi the Labour Party is dead, whatever traction the party had in 2023 general elections could be attributed to the party’s presidential flag bearer. Let me be clear on this, much of the crisis can be attributed to Abure’s lack of transparency and accountability. Unless this is resolved, the party may falter, and the test of this will be in the Edo election.”
In his reaction, Prof. Adeagbo Moritiwon, another political scientist, said “As long as Abure remains the National Chairman the party is gone. It can never regain the momentum it gathered and enjoyed in 2023 with him in the saddles, and this will affect Peter Obi if he still wants to use the platform. And as far as today’s realities are, Obi has no other platform.”
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