Labour Party Accuses Peter Obi, Gov Otti of Fueling Internal Crisis
By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna
The national leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has accused its 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, of being the architects and sustainers of the current crisis within the party, rather than external interference from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a strongly worded statement issued by the National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the party dismissed Obi’s claims in a recent interview that the APC-led Federal Government had infiltrated the party to cause internal strife. The leadership said Obi failed to provide any evidence to back his claim and instead used the platform to mislead Nigerians.
The LP maintained that its internal challenges began when Obi and Otti allegedly set up an unconstitutional caretaker committee in Umuahia, Abia State, aimed at usurping the party’s leadership structure, a move the party said directly violated court rulings affirming Barrister Julius Abure as the legitimate National Chairman.
The statement also criticized Governor Otti for disrespecting the party leadership, accusing him of referring to Abure in derogatory terms. It defended Abure’s reaction, arguing it was provoked by the governor’s earlier inflammatory remarks.
Highlighting Abure’s commitment to the party during the 2023 elections, the leadership said he mobilized nationwide support for Obi and stood by him through the legal battles up to the Supreme Court.
The party warned against continued “blackmail” and public attacks, stating that it remains focused on rebuilding and repositioning itself following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of Abure’s leadership.
The statement concluded by reiterating that the Abure-led leadership “has come to stay” and called on Obi and other dissenting voices to align with the party’s constitution and leadership for the sake of unity.
