The internal crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) took a fresh twist on Friday as the faction loyal to Julius Abure announced the establishment of a disciplinary committee to investigate Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, and other members over alleged anti-party activities.
In an interview granted before the panel was set up, Governor Otti dismissed Abure’s authority, insisting that the Supreme Court had effectively ended his leadership of the party.
Following an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, the Abure-led faction stated that it was not involved in any coalition talks and remained focused on consolidating party unity under its leadership.
Reading the communiqué of the meeting, which was signed by Julius Abure and Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, Abure revealed that the NEC had reviewed what it described as anti-party actions by Otti and other unnamed members.
As a result, a five-member disciplinary committee was constituted with Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi as Chairman, Alhaji Umar Farouk as Secretary, and Kehinde Edun, Mrs. Dudu Manuga, and Callistus Ihejiagwa as members. The committee has two weeks to submit its findings.
Abure also reaffirmed the legitimacy of the 2024 National Convention and the National Working Committee (NWC) elected therefrom, reiterating confidence in the NWC’s capacity to lead the party to electoral success. He praised the Supreme Court’s April 4 ruling for upholding the supremacy of party structures and announced that Chief George Muoghalu had emerged as the party’s candidate for the upcoming Anambra State governorship election.
The NEC extended an olive branch to aggrieved members, calling for unity ahead of future electoral battles.
However, Governor Alex Otti responded sharply during an interview on The Morning Show on ARISE TV, describing Abure’s posturing as baseless. He claimed that the apex court’s verdict had invalidated Abure’s leadership and that the party is now under a new caretaker committee.
“When you go through the Supreme Court judgment, you will know that Abure is just masturbating. He is out,” Otti said, using unusually blunt language to criticize the embattled party chairman.
Otti, who remains a prominent LP figure, affirmed that he was not planning to defect despite recent waves of defections from opposition parties to the ruling APC.
“Governor Otti is not decamping and my party (LP) is not on shaky ground. This is democracy,” he said, citing President Bola Tinubu’s consistency through various party evolutions before emerging as Nigeria’s leader.
He emphasized that while he remains committed to the LP for now, future political decisions would depend on prevailing conditions and consultation with the people of Abia.
“And I’m not God to say I will remain in Labour Party or leave Labour Party. But as we speak, the current conditions do not warrant my leaving,” Otti stated.
The leadership tussle within the LP has intensified in recent weeks, with factions loyal to Abure, Lamidi Apapa, and the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee all claiming legitimacy, despite the Supreme Court’s decision in April. The party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is believed to support the Usman-led faction, further complicating the power dynamics within the opposition party.
As both camps dig in, political observers warn that the prolonged factional dispute may harm LP’s unity and electoral strength ahead of crucial elections, including the November 2025 Anambra governorship poll.
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