By Anifowoshe Oladipupo
Tensions have deepened between the Labour Party (LP), and its 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, as fresh accusations and counterclaims emerge ahead of the 2027 general election.
In a statement on Tuesday, the party’s National Secretary, Umar Farouk, accused Obi of launching a sustained media campaign to blackmail the National Chairman, Julius Abure, and other senior officials of the party.
The latest rift followed Obi’s appearance on Arise Television, during which he alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), had infiltrated the Labour Party in a bid to destabilize its leadership.
Reacting, the party leadership dismissed Obi’s claims as baseless and challenged him to provide concrete evidence. It accused him of failing to take responsibility for the internal crisis rocking the party.
“Our attention was drawn to an interview granted by Mr. Obi in which he alleged that the APC-led Federal Government has infiltrated the Labour Party. But when asked to present evidence, he offered nothing substantial,” Farouk stated.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Obi continues to mislead Nigerians about the root causes of the party’s internal crisis, even though such challenges are not uncommon in political parties,” he added.
Farouk went further to attribute the party’s troubles to Obi and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, who he claimed remains suspended for anti-party activities.
“When good leaders fall short, they should accept responsibility. Mr. Obi failed to provide effective leadership for the party and should stop shifting blame,” he said.
Despite Obi’s criticisms during the interview, Farouk pointed out that his reference to Abure as the party’s national chairman signaled an implicit acceptance of the current leadership.
“As far as the party is concerned, the matter is settled and Julius Abure remains the National Chairman of the Labour Party. That fact is not in dispute,” Farouk maintained.
He called on Obi and other aggrieved members to accept the reality of the current leadership and work towards the unity and stability of the party.
“We urge Mr. Peter Obi and others to move beyond personal grievances and join hands to rebuild and strengthen the Labour Party ahead of future elections,” Farouk concluded.
