Peter Obi Allegedly Withdraws Support from National Chairman, Julius Abure

The Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Petter Obi, appears to have distanced himself from the embattled National Chairman, Julius Abure, and has supported efforts to salvage the party. Obi criticized the recent Nnewi convention organized by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), suggesting that Abure and other leaders should have engaged in wider consultations regarding his absence at the convention.

During an X Space session hosted by Parallel Facts, Obi expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of the party, indicating that it was time for Abure and the party’s leadership to take decisive action to rescue it. He humorously remarked, “We promised to build Nigeria; we did not promise to build a new Labour Party,” in reference to the current leadership.

The Director-General of Obi’s presidential campaign team in the 2023 general election, Akin Osuntokun, also weighed in on the LP crisis. He criticized the Nnewi convention as “kangaroo” and dismissed the reserved 2027 presidential ticket for Obi as a “Greek gift,” asserting that such decisions were beyond the powers of the Abure-led NWC.

Osuntokun emphasized Obi’s significance within the party, stating, “Without Obi, there is no Labour Party.” He predicted the emergence of three factions within the party: the Abure faction, the Apapa faction, and the genuine faction comprising substantial stakeholders aligned with Obi’s vision, which he referred to as the “Obidients.”

The LP is currently facing internal challenges, with key figures like Obi and Osuntokun expressing discontent with the party’s leadership and decision-making processes. The fallout from the Nnewi convention and the rift between party leaders could potentially impact the LP’s prospects in future elections.

Politics Nigeria