The leadership crisis rocking Nigeria’s Labour Party (LP) has intensified. The National Caretaker Committee, led by Senator Nenadi Usman, has accused both the Presidency and the factional LP chairman, Julius Abure, of plotting to destroy the party from within.
The committee, backed by LP’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, said the attacks were meant to stop Obi’s ambition ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to the group, Abure is working closely with some powerful people in the Presidency. They believe this alliance is trying to cause confusion and push Peter Obi’s supporters away.
Defections and Accusations Shake Labour Party’s 2027 Strategy
Labour Party has recently lost some top members to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). But the Usman-led committee insists Peter Obi remains the party’s strongest candidate for the next general election.
Spokesman for the caretaker committee, Tony Akeni, said the Presidency’s claims about Obi losing his allies were false. He reacted to a recent interview where the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy, Daniel Bwala, said some of Obi’s top supporters had joined the APC.
“Governors are joining us on their own. Some key handlers of Peter Obi from the last election have also come on board,” Bwala said.
“One of his media spokesmen is already in discussions. They see our direction is right, and we’re building a national consensus.”
In response, Akeni said these defections were not natural but part of a secret plan. He said Abure and APC had joined forces to damage the LP’s internal structure.
“We are aware of a well-coordinated espionage mission aimed at crippling the Labour Party from within ahead of the 2027 general elections,” Akeni stated.
He added that the plot includes luring Obi’s close allies to the APC to destroy the Obidient movement. Still, he believes Obi’s ambition remains strong and achievable.
“No matter how many fall for the ruling party’s schemes, Peter Obi will still emerge as Nigeria’s most transparently elected president in 2027,” Akeni said.
“Those defecting to the ‘food-is-ready’ camp of the APC will wear the badge of shame when Nigerians rise to reclaim their country through the Labour Party,” he added.
Factional Clash: Abure Camp Fights Back
The fight took another turn when Abure’s camp responded. Obiora Ifoh, the factional LP National Publicity Secretary, denied all accusations. He said Usman and her supporters were the real enemies of the party.
“It’s laughable that Nenadi Usman, who once tried to hand over the party to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s Social Democratic Party, is making such claims,” Ifoh said.
He also accused the Usman group of secretly planning to hand over the party to another political group.
“She said it on live TV—everyone saw it. These people are bent on tearing the party apart,” Ifoh said.
He added that neither he nor Abure is running for office in 2027, so the blame lies with those causing internal division.
“They forget that neither Abure nor Ifoh is contesting in 2027. They are. Let’s see how they intend to win while setting fire to their political platform,” he said.
APC Tells Obi to Take Responsibility
The APC has also responded. Its National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, told Obi and his supporters to stop blaming the ruling party.
He said the Labour Party’s troubles were Obi’s fault because he failed to keep the party united after the last election.
“It is the comment of a failed father in a family. You know the role of a father is to create harmony and set a direction. But when he fails in his duty, he will blame other families for his woes,” Arodiogbu said.
“That is what LP is doing. It is called the blame game. They can blame the APC for all they care,” he added.
He said Obi lacked the ability to build a lasting political structure and must take the blame for LP’s ongoing problems.
“After a party has lost an election, the responsibility falls on him to hold the party together and create unity. He failed to do so,” Arodiogbu added.
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